Barcelona vs. Villarreal – Spanish La Liga – Full Time Report (Part 1)
Barcelona thrashed Villarreal 5-0 to get their season running in the Spanish La Liga. The Catalans were to host the Yellow Submarines and they won the game 5-0 after comfortably dominating the game with a totally different formation of 3-4-3.
Josep Guardiola played tested all the new players as the Spanish La Liga season kicked off. The Catalans made sure that they give a quick response to Real Madrid’s 0-6 win over Real Zaragoza a day before this game.
The Catalan boss played a 3-4-3 formation for this fixture. Josep Guardiola made sure that he deploys both the new signings and the young http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Thiago-c34888 Alcantara.
Victor Valdes stood guard in between the two posts and featured as a goalkeeper for the European Champions. Valdes was aided by three defenders rather than four. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Daniel-c9879 Alves; therefore, Josep Guardiola decided to drop the idea of playing full backs.
There were three centre backs – left centre back, right centre back and a centre back. While Eric Abidal featured as a left centre back, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Sergio-Busquets-c33048 playing as a centre back.
The midfield was flourished with players as Josep Guardiola fielded a four man midfield. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Seydou-Keita-c33177 featured in a holding midfield role while Andres Iniesta aided him in the centre midfield. Thiago Alcantara also featured in a centre midfield role while Cesc Fabregas featured in an attacking midfield role.
The front three were changed. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lionel-Messi-c22296 played as a sole striker for the Spanish side.
On the other hand, Villarreal’s coach Juan Carlos Garrido played a traditional 4-4-2. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Cristian-c9491 Zapata played in the right back position.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Bruno-c8098 Llido were the two players who featured in the centre of the pitch. Villarreal played a two man midfield and it was simply not enough to stand up against a four man midfield played by Josep Guardiola.
The right flank role was taken by Borja Valero. Since the departure of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Cani-c8305 featured in the left back position.
The front two were not changed by Juan http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Giuseppe-Rossi-c15027. The two were simply extraordinary last season and they were expected to do wonders against a three-man Barcelona defence.
As the game kicked off, Barcelona started to play their usual tiki-taka. Villarreal were rarely getting to touch the ball. Slowly and gradually Barcelona started to build momentum and soon they started to threaten the Villarreal defensive walls.
The Spanish Champions were a constant threat in the final third and Villarreal were totally on the back foot with almost seven opposition players around their penalty area all the time.
Tags: