Barça will complete the week of three games by hosting Betis at the Camp Nou and with the intention of getting closer to winning the league title. In front, the blaugrana will have a Betis immersed in a dynamic of discreet results but that always plays openly. Here are my five key tactics for this match:
After the unexpected defeat last Wednesday in Vallecas, Barça faces the game with a double incentive: play well and win. The other news goes through two important returns for Xavi. In defense, Andreas Christensen is available again. Which means that he becomes the most reliable passer in Barça (93.9% security). And above, Ousmane Dembélé returns. The player who generates the most in the last third and who destroys the rival the most. The winger is the footballer who gives the most key passes (1.9 per game), the best dribbler (1.5 per game) and the one who centers the most (1.1 per game). Pure attacking gold for an offensive line that has been quite stagnant in recent weeks. With him by his side, Lewandowski will improve.
Betis is a team that never changes its system. The 4-2-3-1 is his main drawing throughout Pellegrini's career. A system that creates four heights, which gives a lot of fluidity with the ball but also leaves many spaces for the opponent to play inside. A factor that Barça has to take advantage of to find their talented men between the lines (Pedri, Lewandowski, Gavi...) and disorganize from that moment on. If he does, he will not only dominate but flow in attack.
A very marked weakness of tonight's rival. And it is that Betis has many problems to cover the central zone of the area when the opponent attack arrives from one of the two sides. The center backs (Pezzella, Luiz Felipe or Edgar) are not good at defensive profiling and it is difficult for them to cover both their backs and those of the other center back. Lewandowski or any other Barça player who reaches this area can find clear scoring opportunities there.
At Villamarín, the Barça winger was a real headache for Betis. He outplayed Ruibal four times and took out several danger centers. And it is that the powerful arrivals from behind the sides is an action that does a lot of damage to Pellegrini's box. In addition, in the typical 4-2-3-1 of the Andalusian team, the wing midfielders are more offensive than defensive and defensive returns are very difficult for them. So today Bucket will once again be an attack argument that the team should take advantage of.
The player with the highest football quality at Betis is Sergio Canales. He is the one who has the most offensive clairvoyance for the filtered pass that feeds the forwards. With 1.7 per game, he is the footballer who accumulates the most key passes in Pellegrini's team. In addition, and without Fekir's help, he has gained weight in the game between the lines. Starting from the outside he places himself much more inside to generate. His role is capital in the current Betis. Also highlight Borja Iglesisas who, with 12 goals, is the top scorer. But apart from them, it is fair to highlight the dynamism of Ayoze in any of the attacking parts that he can act and the great moment in form of the former Barça player Miranda. He already accumulates three goal assists this season.
