As the Champions League returned to decide the final eight teams before the big show in Lisbon, possibly the most intriguing tie to still be decided was Barcelona and Napoli. Set up nicely after a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Barcelona are threatened by the potential of their first trophyless season since 2013 should they fail to reach the summit in Lisbon. On the other side, Napoli have been resurgent under the leadership of Gennaro Gattuso. The Serie A side have been in fantastic form and would have been quietly optimistic heading into this match.
This tactical analysis will break down both sides and their approach to this match. While Barcelona were nowhere near their best, their tactics went a long way in nullifying Napoli’s attacking threat and were aided by moments of individual brilliance from Lionel Messi.
Lineup
With Sergio Busquets out suspended, the biggest question entering this match was how Quique Setién would line his midfield up. At the base of it, Ivan Rakitić was given the nod, with Sergi Roberto and Frenkie De Jong deployed on either side of the Croatian. In defence, Jordi Alba and Nelson Semedo were given the task of providing the width for the side from full-back, which we will discuss further in the analysis. Gerard Piqué was partnered by Clement Lenglet at the heart of the defence. Up front, Luis Suárez led the line with Messi and Antoine Griezmann on either side of him.
For the visiting side, Gattuso set his side out in a 4-3-3 that we would see changes in structure at different points in the match. Kalidou Koulibably returned to the side after missing the first leg to partner Konstantinos Manolas. Màrio Rui and Giovanni Di Lorenzo played the full-back roles, who would be the focal point of Barcelona’s defensive tactics. Fabián and Piotr Zieliński played on either side of Diego Demme in midfield, with the attacking trident of Lorenzo Insigne, Dries Mertens, and José Callejón up front.
Barcelona’s defensive orientation and transition
When out of possession, Barcelona looked to remain narrow and compact. Griezmann dropped into a central position ahead of the three central midfielders, while Messi stepped up in line with Suárez to create a 4-3-1-2 while defending. The central midfielders sat directly in front of the back four, making it difficult for Napoli to find any space in the danger areas. Simultaneously, the front three maintained their positions, not looking to press too aggressively while Napoli began their attacking phase.
