Tactical Analysis: Lluis Cortes’ Reinas.
The second part of my women’s football tactical analysis of teams is from another request given to me by @jackiexxgroenen and this time it is the giants of Spanish football: Les Reinas d’Espanya i Catalunya - FC Barcelona Femeni.
How do you define Barcelona in the world of football? Greatness? Excellence? Whatever it may be, the name itself carries a heavy weight in European football and the world in general as well. And it is totally not different in the women’s game too.
So how do the girls carry on with the ‘Barca way?’
Lluis Cortes, the Barcelona manager, sets up the queens of Spain and Catalonia in a typical Barca style of the 4-3-3 defensive formation, with a CDM at the back. Much like Sergio Busquets plays there in the men’s game, Kheira Hamraoui is the main CDM here. Although when she is absent, Patricia Guijarro can also play the CDM role to perfection even though she is normally a CM. Captain Vicky Losada can also play efficiently in that role as well.
Simple. It is your typical Barcelona attack, much seen from the men’s game over the years. The girls in this case also shift the ball from side-to-side, which is of course known as tiki-taka, then suck in the opposition’s shaped formation inwards regardless if it’s 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 or 3-4-3, and then you release your runners into 1v1 situations and score.
Just like how Lionel Messi does his thing, in the women’s game it is Norwegian winger Caroline Graham Hansen who is the biggest factor in that kind of attack. She links up with either of Asisat Oshoala or Jenni Hermoso, both very clinical in front of goal. Aitana Bonmati also has her fair share of attacking prowess as well, giving Hansen and co. plenty of options when attacking as well as Mariona Coldentey. And of course, who can forget Lieke Martens? Cortes must be frothing in his mouth thinking the amount of options he has when attacking LOL
Hansen and Martens, the two usual wingers plus the occasional yet also constant appearance of Bonmati position themselves narrowly will not only drag the opposition fullbacks inwards (again following the Barcelona philosophy instilled by the great Johan Cruyff) but will also create a tight box of the said opposition players both vertically and horizontally. By doing so, it will make it nearly impossible to pass through the Barcelona midfield.
But what if the rarity of tiki-taka goes wrong? Or Barca just has fun hoofing the ball to Oshoala and/or Hermoso? Or their midfielders somehow find a way to catch the opposition out? No difference. Because it’s always due to the teams’ lack of pressing ability in the Primeira Iberdola, hence why Barca almost always qualifies for Europe.
How do they defend off the ball?
In Cortes’ case, it’s his formation that will always give Barcelona the advantage over their opposition, regardless of their formation. Because Barca always usually uses the formation very effectively, it will forever be difficult for opposition strikers to press against Barcelona, because of Kheira Hamraoui or Guijarro. They will both keep on dropping back in defence in order to create an overload.
This is perfectly demonstrated in their match against CD Tacon, or of course Barca’s biggest nemesis, Real Madrid. Shown in the photo below as an example:
Such structural superiority can be mitigated by defending in a wing-oriented fashion. Oshoala or Hermoso can stick with the dropping Hamraoui or Guijarro, while the other presses the ball-side centre back, either of Mapi Leon, Andrea Pereira or Leia Panedas, with a curved run that cuts off access to the far side, once again as demonstrated on the next photo:
By doing this, the defensive team can limit the opposition into passes down the nearest wing, where Martens or Hanson, Hermoso, Hamraoui and/or Guijarro, and either of Marta Torrejon or Leila Ouahabi can press aggressively in a congested space. They also don’t shy away from goal either, hence why tiki-taka is still the most perfect way of playing football. And by God, it’s beautiful to see!
Okay, we get it! Tiki-taka is perfect in football. But how can anyone beat them if they can?
The only way to beat Barcelona would be that the opposition would have to abandon their emphasis on their short build-ups in favour of going direct. Lyon demonstrated that to perfection in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final last season. Lyon played a 4-2-3-1 narrow formation in which Marozsan dictated the game. Bonmati and Alexia Putellas could not cope with the German maestro and she was allowed to place her passes rather easily, hence Ada Hegerberg’s hat trick in that final. Barca played a 4-4-1-1 formation that game however, which totally went against the club’s philosophy and Cortes payed a hefty price for that.
However, it is also rudimentary and sometimes it will force the opposition’s strikers into hunting down second balls at times. It also seems like it’s the only viable way to achieve ball progression given how Barcelona usually plays both in the men’s and the women’s game.
So, to sum it up. It’s your typical Barcelona team we have seen throughout the years. The philosophy of tiki-taka and total football is also instilled in the women’s game and given the natural tactical battles with careful precisions and team plays the women play with absolute perfection and accuracy, makes this Barcelona team very, very special indeed.
The girls colour football.
Oh and Cortes? Decent manager. Young and full of life, he should do well at this great club!
