“Full of confidence”: why it’s advantage Barcelona in Champions League semi-final against PSG – tactical analysis

The UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-finals both still have a lot to play for, with Chelsea Women needing to recover from an away loss to Bayern Munich, but do have an away goal, whilst Barcelona Femeni also came away from Paris Saint-Germain Feminine with an away goal, giving them the advantage going into the second leg. This tactical analysis will preview all the action from PSG’s visit to the Spanish giants, looking at each side’s attacking and defensive tactics and where they can get the better of each other.

Team news

Barcelona Femeni have concerns over star forward Jennifer Hermoso, with the Spain international going off injured in the second half last weekend. However, they will be boosted by the return of Nigeria captain and striker Asisat Oshoala, who came off the bench to replace Hermoso in the first leg, having recently returned from a foot injury herself. Midfielder Patricia Guijarro also comes back in, having been suspended for last weekend’s encounter, so could start and add more quality in possession. Otherwise, Barcelona could name the same team that featured in Paris.

PSG Feminine could welcome back France forward Kadidiatou Diani, who was injured last weekend, meaning Canada international Ashley Lawrence could move to right-back from the wing, where she featured in the first leg. USA defender Alana Cook, whose first leg equaliser was her first professional goal for the French team, could make way for them, offering defensive cover instead. Otherwise, PSG have not reported any injuries in their squad, so it could be largely the same team that started in Sunday’s game.

Barcelona Femenis attack

Beginning with Barcelona Femeni’s attack, we know that they have a particular style of football, which they adapt to suit the way the game is going.

The role of the playmaker, usually taken by either Alexia Putellas or Aitana Bonmati, is a crucial part of their team. They dictate the tempo of the game, moving the ball into dangerous areas of the pitch and providing a pivot for the other players to play off. In this image, we see how Putellas has possession, passing the ball forwards for Norway attacker Caroline Graham Hansen, wearing number 16, to get on the end of. By doing so, she gets her team into the space behind Levante Femenino’s defence, where Hansen scores. Therefore, we can see how Putellas’ vision is important in setting up goalscoring chances.

However, what is particularly notable about the playmaker is their movement around the pitch. Often, they will play as a false nine, freeing up the striker to close the ball down in other areas of the pitch. This is something we saw a lot of in the first leg, with both Putellas and Bonmati swapping with Jennifer Hermoso, and meant that PSG Feminine had to keep concentrating on who was where at each point of the game. In the first half, this tactic was a key reason for Barcelona’s dominance.