Barça has two games left in the League before the break for the World Cup and the objective is none other than to score full points. The first step will be to beat Almería on the night that the Camp Nou will fire Gerard Piqué. Here my 5 tactical keys for this match:
He surprised everyone by announcing his retirement on Thursday so today will be Gerard Piqué's last game in the Barça shirt. Without a doubt, one of the best central defenders in the history of Barça, so today's eleven has a clear emotional nuance and it has to be with Piqué in the central axis and perhaps as captain.
Despite the fact that the rest of the names go into the background, it is an ideal day for Ferran Torres to start. For his moment of form, for the opponent that will be in front of him and for everything that his movements contribute to the team, he would deserve it. As always, the decision will be Xavi's but the eleven has to be Piqué and ten more.
With 20 goals against, Almería is one of the teams that have conceded the most goals in the championship. Also when he plays away, where he has received 12 goals, at an average of two per game. In fact, it is the worst visitor of the championship. And the fact is that Rubi's team is an unapologetic and vertical team but also somewhat indolent defensively.
A team to which the mobility of the rivals gets used to doing damage. And that is what Barça's interior players will have to do tonight. Play fast and move a lot. Applying these two parameters the spaces will appear by themselves.
Pulling from the previous concept, interior associations are easily found for the Almería. The laterals and centrals will have a pass with the interiors and the interiors will have a pass with nine to the foot or to space. In addition, and taking into account that it is a team that gets messy very easily, if the midfielders are successful to position themselves well and fine in the pass, they can create many scoring chances for Lewandowski and other teammates.
Except for a football surprise, the script of the match will be clear. A Barça carrying the weight of the game in the rival field and an Almería in 4231 or 532 at medium height and linking rather fast attacks with the ball. Reasons why defensive vigilance will be very important when Barça has the ball.
Surveillance that has to be better than it has been in most matches and in which the rivals have found certain facilities to get out. The visit to the field of Viktoria Pilsen showed it again. The concentration of those responsible for keeping behind is important.
There are some interesting young players in this Almeria. The first of them is a former Blaugrana and for whom Barça still has a clause: Sergio Akieme, a strong full-back with a long history who is having a splendid year. He is more physical than quality.
Another is the young Belgian Largie Ramazani, a striker who has been one of the most pleasant surprises in this first third of the League. He is fast, powerful but also very skilled. All this makes it a very good weapon to deal damage with many spaces. He impressed in the match against Madrid where he scored and generated most of the dangerous actions for Rubi's team. And tonight, the context is going to be very similar to that.
Also highlight the Argentine Lucas Robertone. He is a 25-year-old midfielder with a great strike, a very good pass and a fairly good striker. Especially on plays thrown from the second row since one of his skills is to follow plays closely. It is important that Barça have these players under control.
