Barcelona rounded up the calendar year with a vintage Ernesto Valverde game to secure all three points at the Camp Nou: conservative, safe, and relying on familiar themes throughout the whole game. Celta proved to be a smaller obstacle than what was maybe expected but the signs of improvement are still there.
The Catalans, however, leave 2018 behind them as league leaders, which was the plan all along. On top of that, they also continue their excellent run of form with four wins and adding the same number of clean sheets and 13 goals in the process.
This tactical analysis will use statistics and insight to determine how a rather safe approach worked wonders for Valverde once again as he gave the fans a sweet and sour kind of gift right before Christmas.
Line ups
Barcelona (4-3-3)
Starting XI: Ter Stegen Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba Rakitic, Busquets, Vidal Messi, Suarez, Dembélé
Bench: Cillessen, Denis, Coutinho, Arthur, Miranda, Aleña, Chumi
Coach: Ernesto Valverde
Celta Vigo (4-4-2)
Starting XI: Ruben Blanco, David Costas, Araujo, Hugo Mallo, Mazan, Okay, Mendez, Jozabed, Boufal, M. Gomez, Iago Aspas
Bench: Sergio A., Beltran, Sisto, Lobotka, Hjulsager, Vazquez, G. Cabral
Coach: Miguel Cantoso
Barcelona’s setup
Ernesto Valverde decided to once again take no risks as he deployed what is presumably his strongest 11 in a traditional 4-3-3 formation. Nelson Semedo returned from injury and made that possible in the first place.
The rest of the personnel was as expected with the usual suspects lining up in all three thirds of the pitch. The question of the third forward is also seemingly completely answered now with Ousmane Dembele benching Barcelona’s biggest transfer in the history of the club, Philippe Coutinho.
On paper, the
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