FC Barcelona gameplay

• What is the essence of FC Barcelona’s style of play?• Where was it originated?• What are its main characteristics?• What makes Messi’s game so special?

FC Barcelona gameplay

• Usually soccer teams play in one of the following formations:

FC Barcelona gameplay

• Usually soccer teams play in one of the following formations:

FC Barcelona gameplay

• Usually soccer teams play in one of the following formations:

FC Barcelona gameplay

Origins

Rinus Michels1970s. Ajax, FC Barcelona and Netherlands’ manager

Netherlands, 1974 World Cup Final

versus Argentina

FC Barcelona gameplay

Origins

Johan Cruyff1988-1996

Louis Van Gaal1997-2000,

2002-2003

“Since I was a kid I was told that when you have one more man than the opposing team in the midfield you have more control over your team’s offense

and defense. Some people may say: this is useless! And they might be right; they’re not interested in this one more man. I traveled, I went abroad, to Italy,

Mexico and Qatar, but still this is the lesson that stuck in my head”

Pep Guardiola, 2013

• Piggy in the middle (5’)

• Tiki taka analysis (4’)

• UEFA Final 2011: FC Barcelona – Manchester United (4’)

• Messi is a dog (12’)

FC Barcelona gameplay

• The role of the playmaker is vital in FC Barcelona’s style of play.

• Xavi Hernández has been one of the best playmakers ever and possibly the best Spanish soccer player in history.

• The playmaker is like the QB in American football.

Playmaker

FC Barcelona gameplay

• The attacking midfielder very often is the most skilled player in the game. They have vision, technique, power and goal.

• Andrés Iniesta is the most talented attacking midfielder in the last 5-10 years.

• He scored the most important goal in Spanish soccer history.

Attacking midfielder

FC Barcelona gameplay

• In the 1990s in Europe children grew up with Captain Tsubasa (Oliver & Benji) cartoons.

• They were set in Japan, a country with no soccer tradition, but nonetheless they conquered world cups.

• The actions they described were utterly unrealistic but amazing.

Benji’s appearanceThe “infernal catapult”Learning geography and physics with Captain Tsubasa