How will Lionel Messi slot into Ernesto Valverde’s Barcelona set-up?
Coaches may come and go at Barcelona, but the underlying tone of success and the capability of snaring silverware has been maintained over the last decade. The other key fixture that cannot be ignored has been Lionel Messi. It is undoubted that he will continue to be a star under a new coach, but his role within the side is the point of intrigue.
The question of whether it should be Ernesto Valverde that must adjust to a set-up that allows Messi to thrive is plausible, but under the Basque tactician, this is not up for debate. Without being outspoken, he has no reservations about giving stars a dressing down. This will be his Barcelona system, not simply a support mechanism for their star. Building a cohesive group is necessary.
During Luis Enrique’s farewell campaign, the Catalans fluctuated between a 4-3-3 and a 3-4-3 system, but both formations relied on wing-backs to give them their orthodox width. In both instances, Messi would be deployed on the right-hand side, with plenty of opportunity and license to drift infield and cause havoc.
When Neymar was unavailable due to suspension, this was tweaked slightly up front. Luis Suarez and Paco Alcacer were instead tasked with leading the line in a striking partnership, with Messi left to play in a free role between the lines, taking up his position in space wherever he saw fit.
The 3-4-3 was a reaction to a lack of midfield quality, a theme that perpetuated throughout the entire season. It injected in an additional centre-back to ensure that the Blaugrana had plenty of options, in order to build out from the back without necessarily using the deep-lying midfield crux of Sergio Busquets, with the extra defender also adding ballast regarding counter-attacks.
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What now under Valverde?
There should be no huge variations in approach once the coming 2017 season has begun, however. Ernesto Valverde is a man with principles and an approach that has remained consistent throughout his tenure in charge of Athletic Bilbao.
That is not to say that there will not be minor alterations based on the squad in his possession, but his philosophy is neither up for lengthy discussion nor scrutiny. They will line up with a 4-2-3-1, with Messi most likely to feature as either the wide man on the right or in a number 10 role.
Before Raul Garcia joined Athletic, it would be the diminutive midfield playmaker Benat that would be asked to try and push up and fit between the lines when Los Leones would have possession high upfield against a low block. While full-backs stretched the opposition, he would look to find the pockets of space to exploit, with Iker Muniain, of a similar build, capable of doing the same.
This could be the role in which Valverde envisions Messi unlocking defences and causing problems for the shape of their opposition - but he may need to experiment first. In the modern game, the role of the number 10 has become far less rigid. Free roles are needed to prevent the creative heartbeat of a team from being asphyxiated by sides that want to sit back and play on the break.
It would be simple for opposing coaches to close the space in between the lines, or even assign a player to monitor Messi closely, should Valverde opt to place his star in the coveted number 10 role. His usual presence on the right flank is far more variable, he has liberty to drift in and affect the game as he sees fit.
There are two obvious roles for the Argentine next season, with the footballing romantics bound to clamour for the return of a high-profile number ten.
While, in theory, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine Messi pulling the strings and exploiting central pockets of space in a team that enjoys plenty of possession, in practice it is unlikely that Barcelona will be able to opt for anything other than their key man drifting in from the right-hand side to do his damage.
As long as he remains unpredictable, that is when he remains at his most dangerous.
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