Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez would not have imagined that his best team going into the Champions League knockout stages would involve four central defenders, and no doubt it is a symptom of things going wrong elsewhere. Yet since Andreas Christensen moved into midfield. the Blaugrana have been on an upward trajectory for the most part.
While it fell apart against Granada in a 3-3 draw, his experiment with the Danish defender has been working out for the most part, freeing up Ilkay Gundogan and Frenkie de Jong to move forward. The coaching staff have been undertaking an intensive course of video analysis with Christensen in order to teach him what the role requires, where the ball should go, and how to orientate himself. It’s a process they feel has been playing dividends, with every passing game seeing an improvement.
🚨 Barca are satisfied with Cancelo's performance and would like him to stay at the club. Barca are willing to offer €15-€20m to Manchester City for the player. @ferrancorreas pic.twitter.com/ybiSvLmH0Q
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) February 28, 2024
From here on out it looks likely that Christensen will be deployed there for the most part. MD report that Xavi and his coaching staff do more video work, both collective and individual, than any coach since Luis Enrique. Ousmane Dembele used to be called in for extra sessions more than any other player.
The Catalan side will be hoping the switch can guide them back to solidity, at least between now and the end of the season. The Blaugrana have gone from the most miserly team in Spain to the joint-10th best defence in La Liga this season. While it looks most likely they will be pursuing second spot in La Liga, Barcelona must get past Napoli in the Champions League to avoid more financial issues, while a trip to the semi-finals would be a huge boost both economically and in terms of confidence.
