FC Barcelona won this evening in Dortmund (3-2) after a thrilling match. He validated his qualification for the next round of the Champions League but his defensive compartment is quite worrying.
Not enough muscles in the middle
At halftime of the match in Dortmund, a map showed Marc Casado's activity in midfield. The 21-year-old had been everywhere, it was impressive. At his side, Pedri once again orchestrated the maneuver with mastery. The problem is that this duo is both young and small. When he comes across colossi like those of Dortmund this evening, he does not have the vice of Sergio Busquets at the time to break opposing actions, nor the muscles to compete. The BvB put intensity and force into each of its attacks and the first Catalan defensive dike quickly gave way. This could be problematic in the spring when you have to contend with the continental big names!
Baldé is light on all levels
Most of Borussia's attacks this evening came from the left side. Anything but a coincidence. On the right, Jules Koundé keeps good guard and displays a high level of performance since the start of the season. Plus, he's a true defender at heart. The complete opposite of Alejandro Baldé. Already at fault in Seville (2-2) on Saturday, the left side is both weak defensively and uninspired offensively. It's part of everyday life in La Liga but, in the Champions League, its shortcomings are obvious. Barcelona leaders will have to think about recruiting for this position if it does not progress in the coming months…
Cubarsi, Pena: meatballs that are expensive
Borussia Dortmund's first equalizer this evening came from a foul (admittedly not obvious) by Pau Cubarsi in his penalty area. The Barcelona central defender is a little less good at the moment after a fantastic start to the season. He is not yet an adult and must therefore learn from his mistakes. Except that mistakes at this level are very costly. Ditto for Inaki Pena. The goalkeeper is 25 years old but he has played little at the high level since the start of his career. His kamikaze exit, outside his area, on the second BvB goal is a gross error of judgment. He too must learn. This evening, it was without consequence, but mainly because the Germans lacked realism, like at the last second on this off-target header from Schlotterbeck. This victory at Signal Iduna Park allows Barça to qualify for the rest of the competition. But for two months, this amount of mistakes has started to cost dearly in La Liga. This young squad must quickly gain maturity because time is running out in football…
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