Barca balance key to success

Three league games, three wins and three clean sheets. It has been a near-perfect start to life as Barcelona Coach for Luis Enrique, and unlike his rivals, he appears to have found an early balance in his team.

Having settled on a 4-3-3 system, the Spaniard hasn’t been afraid to change personnel in various positions. However, the result has remained the same as he has found a winning formula ahead of their Champions League opener against APOEL on Wednesday night.

Claudio Bravo has provided familiarity and consistency in the starting line-up, along with Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic in midfield who provide much needed energy, composure and defensive coverage.

However, despite changes in the heart of the defence, some forced upon Enrique given Javier Mascherano’s suspension, La Blaugrana have remained an impenetrable unit that provides the foundations for their attacking threats to flourish.

Both Lionel Messi and Neymar have ultimately secured victories along with young talents such as Munir El Haddadi. However, they alone are not the sole reason behind Barca sitting atop the league table with the only perfect record after three games.

While Real Madrid are under intense scrutiny from their own supporters to find a system that works without Angel Di Maria, Atletico boss Diego Simeone continues to integrate his new signings with some early teething problems.

In contrast, Enrique has settled well despite introducing a number of new faces, and this has all arrived without their marquee signing of the summer, Luis Suarez, joining the party.

The Uruguayan’s tireless running and sacrifice for the team will only help them in sustaining their shape and solidity, as their intense pressing high up the pitch has become a trademark of their play again with Enrique insisting on having 11 men defending.

Nevertheless, he did concede this week that his team will have to adapt their style to the opposition over the course of the season. Although he is pleased with various aspects of his team’s performances thus far, naturally, he sees room for improvement in particular phases of their play.

What will perhaps be the most interesting test for both Enrique and Barca, is their ability to react to adversity and see how the make-up of the team changes.

Although the pace-setters have been put under pressure in the opening three games, they haven’t particularly had to panic, with the extent of their woes being late goals to seal wins over Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao respectively.

Enrique has made all three substitutions in each game he has been in charge of so far, but if a weakness in this system and team is exposed, it remains to be seen whether or not they have a Plan B to change their style and if their defence holds up in a crisis.

La Liga - Club News