By: EFE Updated Feb 2022, 8: 44 am EST
The version that Barcelona offered in the 4-2 win against Atlético de Madrid this Sunday was much higher than that shown in the vast majority of the rest of games of the season and the Barça fans were finally able to enjoy an afternoon full of joy that could be a turning point after entering the access zone to the League of Champions.
Since the arrival of Xavi Hernández on the bench in November saw an evolution in Barça’s game, but until now it had not been confirmed with results.
The Catalan team was eliminated from the Champions League, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup, in which in any case he left with a good taste in his mouth when competing one on one against Real Madrid.
The four signings of the winter market demonstrated against Atlético be a great success by the director of the football area Mateu Alemany, the return of some injured players such as Pedro González ‘Pedri’ is giving the team another speed and Xavi finally has where to choose in the attack zone, which is endorsed in an improvement in scoring efficiency.
The five keys that have changed the face of Barça:
one. The improvement in scoring efficiency
The lack of goals has been one of the great evils that has harmed the azulgrana team in the first part of the course. On the other hand, against Atlético de Madrid, Barça converted the four shots on goal he had during the match into goals. In fact, the Catalan team had not scored four goals since the first day of the League, when they also beat Real Sociedad 4-2.
Teams that scored 4+ goals with 100% effectiveness in his shots on goal in La Liga 2021-30:
▪️ Getafe against Granada (4 shots on goal and 4 goals) on 20 of January of 2022.
▪️ BARCELONA against Atleti (4 shots on goal and 4 goals) on February 6, 2022.
— MisterChip (Alexis) (@2010MisterChip) February 6, 2022
two. The four signings of the winter market
Dani Alves, Ferran Torres, Adama Traoré and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang proved to be a great success in their debut at the Camp Nou. The Brazilian winger scored the fourth goal and assisted the first, Adama overflowed again and again down the right wing and set up the second goal, and Ferran and ‘Auba’ were a nuisance for the ‘mattress’ defense.
3. Depth of bench
Most of the season Barça has had a very weak wardrobe due to injuries and has had to resort insistently to the players of the subsidiary, that in many moments have supported the team. But against Atlético, although he still has important casualties, there were footballers on the bench like ‘Aubameyang, Nico González and Sergiño Dest, who came on as a refresher.
4. More tactical variants with Alves
At the end of the match, Xavi explained at a press conference that one of the keys to winning the game in the center from the field to Atlético was the use of Dani Alves as an inside player in the construction of the game, which allowed him to pass from the initial 4-3-3 to 3-5-2 in some phases of the match.
Dani Alves registers 3 ASSISTS in 5 games since he returned to FC Barcelona. Almost 39 years old, the Brazilian winger is making a difference in the highest requirement. ICONIC. pic.twitter.com/TZhz8LhQ4D— Undefeated (@InvictosSomos) February 6, 2022
5. A more regular team
Barça has played 10 League games since Xavi’s arrival and he has only lost one, on December 4 against Betis at the Camp Nou. Of the 30 possible points you have added 21, just two less than the group that has achieved the most in this same stretch, Real Madrid.
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Barcelona gave a blow of authority in the Camp Nou, prevailed against Atlético de Madrid and assaulted the positions of Champions