The UEFA Champions League group stage match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Barcelona at Signal Iduna Park was a great example of skill and strategy in action.
Barcelona won 3-2, taking a big step towards qualification for the knockout stages, as we will see in this tactical analysis.
After a pretty uneventful first half, the game really picked up in the final period.
Ferran Torres scored twice off the bench to give Barça their fifth straight League Phase win, moving them to second place in the standings with two games to go.
This analysis looks at the lineups, how the match progressed, and the tactics that made the difference.
Borussia Dortmund Vs Barcelona Lineup & Formation
With Nuri Şahin in charge, Borussia Dortmund went for a flexible 4-1-4-1 formation that changed into a 4-4-2 defensive structure during off-the-ball phases.
Gregor Kobel was in goal, with a defensive line comprising Ryerson, Can, Schlotterbeck and Bensebaini.
In midfield, Nmecha played a kind of hybrid role, supporting both defence and attack, while Reyna and Sabitzer aimed to provide some dynamism alongside the wingers Gittens and Duranville.
Guirassy was the focal point up front, using his physicality and movement to stretch Barcelonas defence.
Barcelona, managed by Hansi Flick, responded with a 4-3-3 formation.
Iñaki Peña filled in as goalkeeper due to Marc-André ter Stegens injury.
Koundé and Baldé were the full-backs, with Cubarsí and Martínez as the centre-backs.
The midfield trio of Casadó, Pedri, and Dani Olmo were looking to control the ball and link up with the forward line, which included Raphinha, Lewandowski, and Lamine Yamal.
Clearly, Barcelonas plan was to dominate possession, create overloads in midfield and rely on precise transitions.
A Tactical Stalemate
The first 45 minutes were a tense, tactical battle, with the teams playing on a fairly level playing field.
Barcelona had the upper hand in terms of possession, holding the ball for long periods (54%) and relying on patient build-up play.
The Barcelona
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