Barca Breakdown (fc Barcelona)

The Barca Breakdown discussed matchday 5 away in Cadiz. A team that is 20th on the table with ZERO points and ZERO goals on the charts. Seeing Barca have their first huge match of the season against Bayern on Tuesday, Xavi chose a lineup that featured less starters. Bellerin started as right back alongside Araujo, Pique, and Balde while the midfield started with Frenkie, giving Pedri a rest. Memphis and Torres were the attacking front with Raphinha.    As the lineup is very fresh, it was expected to have a slower start. Most goal scoring attempts came from the left side of the field, however, the finishing touches were sloppy and off the mark. Torres continued to sky the ball into the stands and Depay continued to shoot low and weak at the goalie, making for easy saves. A great output was seen from Frenkie and Gavi while Busquets held the midfield ground. However no goals were scored and Cadiz was able to play a heavy defensive line to crowd the box.    The second half started with no substitutes. But it was

The Barca Breakdown discussed the champions league season opener against Plzen with goals from Lewandowski and Dembele. While Barca fell in the Group of Death (again), Plzen were the least threatening. However, Barca could not afford to lose points in the group as Barca will play Bayern Munich and Inter Milano. The Bayern game is next Tuesday and it's safe to say Xavi wants his most trusted starting XI ready and rested. So in today's game, we saw an interesting line-up which included Alba and Roberto as fullbacks, Frenkie, Pedri, and Kessie in the midfield, and Fati with his first start alongside Dembele and Lewandowski. The game opened up a little rusty, with Barca losing the ball which led to some fast breaks for Plzen. After a few close calls from Plzen, Barca adjusted. Suddenly, Barca were on the ball consistently and maintained possession in the attacking half. Plzen became helpless as they scrambled to cover the gaps in their defense. The game exploded wide open after Dembele's corner came soaring to Ko

The Barca Breakdown discussed the away victory against Sevilla. Coming into the game Barca had just come off a 4-0 win against Villadolid and Sevilla only had 1 point in 4 games. Xavi also decided to use the same line up against Villadolid, but started Dembele on the left side and Raphinha on the right.    In the first 20 minutes, Barca struggled to move the ball forward as Sevilla dropped their defense into their defensive half. This was also difficult to deal with because our midfields were pushed too far forward. However, Gavi dropped back and was able to intercept and steal the ball from Sevilla. This was the catalyst to Barca's success. In the 21' minute, Gavi intercepted the ball and was able to find Dembele running down the left wing. Lewandowski receives the ball and chips it over the goalie, but a defender knocks it before it makes it past the goal line. Luckily, Raphinha had tracked on the right side and headers the ball in to make the opening goal.   After this moment, Sevilla wasn't able to hold B

The Barca Breakdown discussed the debate of who should start, Frenkie or Gavi and Barcelona's choices for wingers. Special guest Jaleel, aka ThePurist_ on Twitter, joins us to give his insight.   Gavi and Frenkie both have their strengths and weaknesses, but the differential in minutes seems to favor Gavi. We discuss why Xavi prefers Gavi and why haven't we seen more Frenkie. What type of match do each of these players prosper in and has Xavi figured this out?   Then there's the discussion of Dembele and Raphinha playing at the same time. It clear that both of them perform better on the right wing. If this is the case, should be be playing them both at the same time if they both ar best on the right? What about the left wing? Raphinha is not the only option on the left wing. Barca still have Fati and Ferran Torres. But both have recently come back from injury and have yet to reach their forms.    One thing is for sure, Barca have many options and can experiment in the coming season. 

The Barca Breakdown discussed the 4-0 victory against Valladolid. After much anticipation, Xavi started Kounde as the right back alongside Araujo, Garcia, and Balde. Again, Frenkie De Jong lost the starting position to Gavi. And the seemingly standard starting front line of Rahpinha, Dembele, and Lewandowski kicked off at the Camp Nou.    The possession was dominated by Barca in the whole 90'. This isn't particularly surprising as Valladolid had recently just returned from regulation and in previous seasons always fell to the bottom of the table. Barca attacked time and time again until Lewandowksi scored from a cross from Raphinha. This opened the game up as players were able to find the open pitch and make runs through the midfield. The wingers dropped to the middle which pulled defenders back allowing Gavi and Pedri to run up the pitch into the box. Many times Gavi was able to get the ball in the box, but held on too long or was covered too quickly. Then the play dies.   Moving forward though Dembele lit u

The Barca Breakdown discussed victory in Anoeta against Real Sociedad. Barcelona take their first W of the season with a 1-4 scoreline. While the scoreline maybe flattering, Barca certainly struggled to break the tie until the 60'.    The game changed when Xavi subbed in Fati and Raphinha, which provided a much stronger threat. Quickly, La Real found themselves at the mercy of Fati of which provided an assit to Dembele and scored a goal for himself.    But who was responsible for this victory. Xavi utilized a 3-2-2-3, or some might call it a 3-4-3, formation. In this set up Araujo played as a right back but had to cover more space as he was Barca weren't playing with their traditional back 4. In this situation Araujo is already playing out of position. Ferran Torres played in the middle behind Lewandowski. The midfield was set up as a double pivot of Frenkie and Pedri. Lastly, Dembele had to play more defensive to cover the space Araujo would normally cover. None of this seemed to be working. It wasn't until

The BarcaBreakdown discuss FC Barcelona’s 1-4 victory against Real Sociedad at Anoeta. Xavi’s surprising starting eleven clearly did not work, though Pedri, Balde and Lewandowski combined for a fantastic goal in the game’s opening minute. However, Araujo as RB, Frenkie De Jong as pivot, and Ferran Torres working inside with Lewandowski left us open to a counter and early goal to tie the game 1-1 by Isak.   Overall, Xavi tried a new 3-4-3 (3-2-3-1?) lineup that did not work for the first 60 minutes of the game. The substitutions of Ansu Fati and Raphinha immediately changed the complexion of the game, as Fati assisted Dembele and Lewandowski before scoring his own goal to lead the 1-4 victory. Fati proved again why he is FC Barcelona’s #10, and how absolutely magical he is when healthy and playing consistently. Unfortunately, Ferran Torres (who made only 1 appearance in preseason) looked very rusty and out of position as he was not dribbling in from the wings.   Christensen again had a great game in defense, a

The BarcaBreakdown discuss the issues FC Barcelona and Xavi are facing after a draw to Rayo Vallecano fell well short of expectations. With the additions of Lewandowski, Raphinha, Christensen (and now Kounde), Xavi needs time to develop Barca. However, some fans are worried about a continuous trend from Xavi’s side, so the BarcaBreakdown tackle the issues he must conquer! First, we discuss how Ronald Araujo playing as a full back against Rayo did not go well, and our believe that Araujo should only be played there against very threatening wingers. Araujo lacks the ability, like we saw Xavi use with Dani Alves last season, to act as an inverted full back. This role is crucial as it allows the full back to act as a second pivot and help facilitate the ball and draw defenders away from the interiors and wingers. It will be interesting to see if Xavi continues to not believe in Sergino Dest and whether Barca sell him in the next few weeks. Kounde may be a better option at right back, though we will need to see Ko

The Barca Breakdown discuss the first day of the 2022/23 La Liga season against Rayo Vallecano. A team that beat us in both match days last season, was responsible for our third home loss, and was the final game of the Koeman era. Every Barca fan could only imagine the sweet payback Barca would get with a huge summer of signings. However, match day 1 did not deliver exactly as fans would have thought. Xavi's starting line-up did not feature Dest, who was not even called up, nor Frenkie De Jong. Instead Araujo slotted in the right back position with Christensen and Garcia as the center backs and Gavi received a start along side Pedri and Busi. There was no other choice but to start Raphinha, Dembele, and Lewandowski in the attacking front. As one would expect, Barca dominated possession of the ball and in the first 20 or so minutes created many opportunities. It must be said, the mid field was not an integral part of these first minutes as they were hardly involved in the build up. Instead, it seemed it was th

Jaleel/ThePurist's Medium Article: https://medium.com/@Jaleel/decoding-barcelonas-centre-backs-7914e994cea1 ThePurist Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThePurist_  The BarcaBreakdown have special guest Jaleel aka the Purist, as he's known by his Twitter handle, to discuss is most recent article "Decoding Barcelona's Centre Backs". We discussed his preferred gala backline as FC Barcelona have more defensive options with the signing of Christensen and Kounde. The other players to choose from are Eric Garcia, Jordi Alba, Ronald Araujo, Sergino Dest, Sergi Roberto, Balde, and Gerard Pique. Jaleel explains why he chose each of the 4 players based on what Xavi needs and each players strengths and weaknesses. The Breakdown picked Jaleel's brain about the downstream affects of some of the choices and the expectations for the team coming into the 2022/23 season. It is clear Barca have a a high potential next season, however, with the signing of many new players and still having a young squad, Barca will still face some ad

The BarcaBreakdown discuss the final preseason game vs. New York Red Bulls, as goals from Ousmane Dembele and Memphis Depay led to a 2-0 victory for Barca. Xavi now leads the squad to the Joan Gamper game before the La Liga season begins. With Gavi, Busquets, and Frenkie de Jong starting in midfield along with Raphinha-Lewandowski-Dembele up front, a clearer picture of Xavi's preferred 11 comes into mind. Up front, with Ansu Fati recovering and Ferran Torres still on the sideline, the trio of Raphinha-Lewandowski-Dembele seems like the clear favorite. The two energetic wingers provide incredible speed and driblling, while Lewandowski looks primed to pour in goals (though he hasn't yet this preseason). In the midfield, Pedri and Busquets are clear starters for the game against Rayo. Frenkie De Jong and Gavi are battling for the 3rd starting spot, though the BarcaBreakdown believes Frenkie is better suited to play in midfield right now. In defense, Xavi has a tougher decision as he still hasn't worked with Chri

The Barca Breakdown discussed another landmark transfer in the summer window. Joules Kounde has signed with FC Barcelona, a deal including €50 million transfer fee + €10 million in variables over 4 years. Despite Chelsea offering over €60 million, it was clear the Frenchman didn't want to go to the Premier League. Barca now have a reinforced defense that will help them make it further into the Champions League and stop the comebacks that Barca fell victim to. But it matters no longer, Barcelona have Gerard Pique, Joules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Ronald Araujo, Andres Christenesen, Sergio Roberto, Sergino Dest, and Jordi Alba. This will allow Xavi to rotate players much more effectively as well as mitigate the impact felt when a defender becomes injured. With so many options will Barca play a 4-3-3 or a 3-4-3? A 3-4-3 has seen much of Barca fall victim to assault from the wings, many times having players backtracking during a counter. It is likely that Xavi will stick with a 4-3-4 especially when trying out differe

The Barca Breakdown discussed FC Barcelona's preseason El Clasico match in Las Vegas. The starting line-up included Lewandowski, Raphinha, Fat, Pedri, Gavi, Busquets, Alba, Christensen, Garcia, Araujo, and Ter Stegen. In his first game joining FC Barcelona, Lewandowski looked like a lethal stud. He was playing on both sides of the pitch working and looking to score. A few shots on goal created some very exciting moments for the Pol. However, he never was able to find the back of the net. Nevertheless, after a great Barca press, Real Madrid were forced into a bad position and lost the ball due to a terrible clearance. Raphinha is able to smash the ball into the back of the net and take Barca up 1-0. After a close opportunity from Fati the first half ended.    The second half the whole team changed and we were able to see some play from Dembele, Sergio Roberto, Kessie, Frenkie De Jong, and Depay, amongst others. While this half was not as exciting as the first half, it still had some interesting highlights from

The Barca Breakdown discuss the signing of Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich! The Pol comes to Barca on a 4 year deal at €45 million transfer fee + €5 million in variables. In a crazy summer transfer window, Barca are able to sign some big names and Lewandowski is the icing on the cake. For several years now, Barca have been missing an all out striker to score goals, and now they have him for 4 years.    There are many postivies the striker will provide, but his proven track record of 50+ goals in all competitions year in and year out, only strengthen the excitement of his arrival. With Dembele and Raphinha on the wings providing balls into the striker, this front 3 will be a force to be reckoned with. The only downside is Lewandowski is older (33), but with age comes wisdom and experience. If we can even get 20+ goals it would be a success.    Barca still need some help in the defensive line, however this has given hope to a quality 2022/23 campaign!

The Barca Breakdown discussed the agreement reached by Leeds United and FC Barcelona for the purchase of Raphinha. The agreement includes 58 Million Euros + 6-9 Million in bonuses until 2027. With the signing of Dembele, Barca have managed two very important signings in the summer transfer window on top of the acquisition of Christensen and Kessie. The board was able to make purchases due to the sale of TV rights that generated them funds. The signing of Raphinha has sparked concern that Barca could be over spending money right after they got some funds. On top of the worry that a 5 year signing could be troublesome if Raphinha underperformed. It wouldn't be the first time Barca signed a player that ended up flopping for large amounts of money and long contracts. While all of these are viable concerns, Barca are under new management, there is a new squad, and it's great to have fresh attacking players. Speaking of available forwards, Depay is rumored to be leaving the team and Ferran Torres has a wound to one

The Barca Breakdown discussed that reports are, Dembele has signed a contract with FC Barcelona at a reduced salary until 2024. After the chaos of last season, it seems Dembele's agent has only forced a lower salary by not taking the initial contracts. While this may be bad news for Dembele, Barca get a great deal and the player gets to stay where he pleases. Now that Barca have signed Dembele, what does that mean in the quest to acquire Raphinha and Lewandowski? Both players would cost a pretty penny for them to come and Barca would be signing several forwards when they definitely need to bolster the back line. The economic levers that will generate Barca money should be used wisely. Money should be managed well when looking to purchase either player. Reports are Raphinha will come to Barca but Bayern Munich has yet to say they are willing to let Lewandowski leave. Transfer rumors are a tricky business, but one name has been thrown around a lot this summer. Frenkie De Jong has made news several times in conn

The BarcaBreakdown discuss the recent transfer news, including Laporta saying Frenkie De Jong is staying, Barca officially announcing Kessie and Christensen signings, Lengelet being loaned to Tottenham, Dembele and Raphinha updates, and Luuk De Jong and Adama Traore returning to their teams from loan. Though some of these are rumors, the economic levers being pulled does mean that Kessie and Christensen are officially FC Barcelona players. We are a bit skeptical of Laporta saying that Frenkie De Jong will stay, and we think that his comment about the need for Frenkie's wage reductions will be used to eventually explain his departure to Manchester United. In a sudden turn of events, Raphina's transfer from Leeds to Chelsea has been halted, as there are increasing rumors that Raphinha will head to FC Barcelona! It is not official, but Deco and Raphinha have strong links to Barca right now though the transfer fee with Leeds is still going to be hard for Barca to agree on. Ousmane Dembele's contract with Barca is

The BarcaBreakdown discuss the news that Xavi’s desired front three is Raphina, Lewandowski, and Ansu Fati. After the economic levers were pulled by the socios last week, there is a chance we keep Dembele or get Raphina, get Lewandowski, and other options that will radically affect our starting lineup next season. We discuss the worrying reports that Ansu Fair’s decision to not get surgery may mean he is still not 100%. Some within the club are worried, and Luis Enrique not using Fati for Spain was unexpected. Dembele now seems to have no suitors for him, so FC Barcelona and Laporta have cut down their contract offer to him. Dembele seems upset and unwilling to sign the lowered contract, but we believe it is his agent's fault and he won't find a better offer. Finally, we discuss Ferran Torres and whether he has a spot in the lineup if we get Lewandowski. With a new striker who can actually convert chances in Lewandowski, we believe he will be able to have a better showing in the coming season.

The BarcaBreakdown discuss the possibile winners of the Ballon d’Or for the 2021/2022 season. Karim Benzema is the clear betting favorite after a tremendous season, including a La Liga victory and Champions League victory.  Among the other contenders for a top 3 finish are Liverpool’s Mo Salah and Sadie Mane. Both had a wonderful season with better goals/assists from Salah while Mane won the African Cup of Nations with Senegal. As is usual, Robert Lewandowski remains a threat with over 50 goals this season for Bayern Munich. Unfortunately, it is not likely that any FC Barcelona player ranks high for the Ballon d’Or this season. Pedri was hurt for much of the year and Araujo was probably our second best player along with Dembele.

The Barca Breakdown discussed the extraordinary assembly gathered to vote on motions to inject money through the sale of 25% of TV rights and up to 49.9% stake of BLM. Both motions, or Levers as they called it, were approved by the Socios. This means Barca will get around 700 million euros. It is enough money to bring them out of debt and even allow them to make some important signings I'm the 2022 summer transfer window! It is unfortunate that it is has come down to this, but the board must take action to fix the financial situation. Fortunately, there are actions they can take to take back the stakes at a later time which would not allow them to lose out in the future. Speaking of the future, many Socios wished to remind the board that the money is for the future of the club, and to be careful with the spending as that is how Barca got into this situation in the first place. Hopefully careful spending will be upheld while Barca still being able to sign a striker like Lewandowski and maybe Kounde/Koulibaly.