Ahead of kickoff, Barcelona’s revival under the management of Xavi was on the verge of a crucial marker. Threatening to break into the Champions League berths, more of the same was in order. And his men emphatically delivered. A dominant display, and an inspired showing off the bench, gave way to a rampant scoreline that […]
Only two weeks after the sides met in the Spanish Supercopa final in Saudi Arabia, Athletic Club and Real Madrid clashed once again in a domestic cup competition. Athletic Club would emerge victorious this time, avenging their defeat in the Supercopa, and moving on to the semifinals of the Copa del Rey. Tactical analysis and […]
In what was a tense and physical Basque Derby, it would be set pieces that would allow the sides to share the points. A second half penalty from Alexander Isak would open the scoring for La Real, though a late free kick from Iker Muniain (with some help from a howler by Álex Remiro) would […]
A confident first step on the path to life after Lionel Messi gave Barcelona hope of quickly finding their feet in his absence. But Athletic Club refused to bow to the Catalans without a fight. Stifling the away team with their 4-4-2 diamond high pressing scheme, they emerged the better of the two outfits in […]
As the end of the season nears, Real Madrid entered this contest looking for the three points above everything else. Their display did little to impress, probing without penetration in the final third for much of the game. But an unlikely duo from a set-piece broke the deadlock in fortuitous fashion, keeping the champions’ hope […]
Coming into this final off the back of a defeat to their rivals, Barcelona hoped to make up for the wrongs of last week. They did not disappoint. At the heart of it all, a fresh-faced magician inspired his teammates to deliver a clinic worthy of his younger look, rolling back the years with a […]
The long-awaited cup final between two Basque rivals promised to be an even duel on paper, and so it proved. Real Sociedad’s playful 4-3-3 system shone through in terms of control of the ball but had to rely on a world-class play to pull away from a rugged Athletic Club outfit. Tactical analysis and match […]
Barcelona came into this game looking to gain revenge for losing in the Supercup two weeks ago. And while the attack in the final third did not match their clever buildup shape, they were able to look to the star studded names on the team sheet to make the crucial difference. Tactical analysis and match […]
Barcelona’s poor mid-pitch press combined with Valencia’s ruthlessness gave Marcelino’s side an early lead. Barcelona’s lack of attacking output allowed them to keep it. A late glimmer of hope from Messi was ultimately quashed as Barcelona stumbled out of another trophy. Tactical analysis and match report by Tom Quartly. The Benito Villamarín was the elected […]
Two errors in buildup by Real Valladolid unblocked the way for Valencia, who started patiently and got rewarded even before having to switch gears or take more risks. With a comfortable lead, there was only one way this game could end and oddly enough, both teams celebrated after the final whistle. Tactical analysis and match […]