Three talking points ahead of Elche vs Barcelona | La Liga MD 22

Barcelona secured a top-eight UEFA Champions League end with their midweek win over FC Copenhagen, and thereby diminished the pressure of enjoying two extra video games within the month forward.

Nonetheless, they don’t face any fast respite on their schedule as they return to motion in La Liga lower than 72 hours after their final recreation – this time in opposition to Elche at Estadio Martinez Valero.

Shedding to Actual Sociedad earlier this month meant Barcelona allowed Actual Madrid inside one level of them within the league desk. They did win over Actual Oviedo after the catastrophe within the Basque nation, however even that recreation was something however convincing.

The first goal tomorrow, thus, should be to get again to successful convincingly, particularly in opposition to a difficult opponent who even took factors off Actual Madrid earlier this season.

Barça Common brings you three speaking factors forward of Elche vs Barcelona.

Respiratory house in midfield

If there was one issue complicating Barcelona’s conflict in opposition to FC Copenhagen midweek, it was the crew’s state of affairs in midfield with each Pedri and Frenkie de Jong out.

The truth is, the shortage of a pure central midfielder even noticed them undergo within the first half of the sport with an absence of full management, and solely Marc Bernal’s introduction after the break helped regain the cohesive feeling on the sector.

Whereas Pedri continues to be unavailable tomorrow, the Dutchman will probably be again for the Blaugrana, which comes as an enormous enhance for Hansi Flick. In any case, he was solely out by means of an accumulation of yellow playing cards in Europe.

With De Jong again, Flick’s choices in midfield open up as soon as once more, and will probably be fascinating to see what dynamic he chooses to go for on the night time.

The Dutchman will probably be an undisputed starter and the one pulling the strings and dictating the tempo on the night time, handing the crew severe management in the midst of the sector.

Flick’s solely dilemma, due to this fact, is whether or not at hand Eric Garcia, Dani Olmo, or Marc Bernal the second place within the pivot.

A battle for management

Whereas Elche could certainly sit exterior the highest ten within the league standings, they’ve been one of many league’s most spectacular groups when put next on different parameters.

For starters, combating within the mid-table is already a significant step up from the place the crew have been final season, however what makes them stand out distinctively is the fashion of soccer they embrace and advocate.

Below Eder Sarabia, Elche have turn into a mini-Barcelona by way of their method as they appear to dominate the possession, press excessive and defend with a high-line – all concepts from Flick’s ebook.

Over midway into the season, they boast of a staggering possession common of 58.9% with 86.7% correct passes and a 13% aim conversion ratio.

As compared, leaders Barcelona have a median possession of 68.8%, 89.4% correct passes, and a conversion fee of 14%.

Whereas Barcelona’s superior possession is comprehensible given the participant profiles they possess, it’s exceptional that Elche are neck-to-neck on so many different parameters that present their dominance and management of the ball.

Tomorrow’s conflict, therefore, won’t simply be a tussle for objectives however a severe battle for management as each side won’t look to desert their philosophy. Even after they met earlier this season, they completed the sport with practically equal possession.

The battle for management of the proceedings, for sure, will dictate the consequence tomorrow, and Barcelona’s midfield should step up specifically. In any case, it won’t be straightforward to maintain up with such depth and strain with out Pedri.

A wanted tweak in defence

It’s well-known that Barcelona and Flick’s techniques prioritise attacking energy over defensive stability, usually offering the primary at the price of the latter.

There’s, nevertheless, no excuse for the crew frequently happening early and combating for a comeback – one thing the supervisor overtly admitted to in his pre-game press convention.

Because the season progresses, the significance of unpolluted sheets and defensive stability grows paramount, and shifting Eric Garcia again to central defence could clear up part of that drawback.

Whereas it’s true that Barcelona haven’t had a single go-to centre-back pairing this season, the Pau Cubarsi-Eric Garcia mixture has been the closest to wanting like a cushty pair.

They do have their deficiencies, notably in defending in opposition to aerial threats, however they’ve proven that they’ve what it takes to remain on the identical wavelength and complement one another’s flaws.

Transferring Garcia again to central defence tomorrow, thus, could also be an answer that Flick considers, particularly with De Jong again in midfield. For sure, a severe focus should be positioned on bettering the crew’s numbers on the again.