Barcelona – European Conquerors No More?

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Scott Jenkins assesses Barcelona’s European prospects in the wake of their midweek defeat in Milan…

On Wednesday night AC Milan defeated Barcelona in the first leg of the super 16 stage of the Champions League. They take a 2 nil advantage going into the reverse fixture at the Camp Nou and there can be no mistaking that it is deservedly so.

The Rossoneri were the better team on the night. They defended well to reduce space and angles for Barca to offer many meaningful interchanges in and around their penalty area to threaten their goal. And when the opportunity presented itself, they stole possession and burst forward to attack with a bravery rarely seen against Barcelona. Continue reading

The Year of The False Nine

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In the latest of The False Nine’s series looking back the events of 2012, James Dutton reflects on the the most in vogue tactical trend of the year and the marvellous Spanish…

Taking to his platform on the Guardian, Jonathan Wilson, author of ‘Inverting the Pyramid’ discussed some of the tactical trends of the past 12 months. Unsurprisingly possession football and the example of Spain and Barcelona was high up the list.

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