These teams have two completely different approaches, especially after their crazy good elite MSN and BBC eras. I’ll explain.
Look at Real Madrid’s 2022 UCL winning line-up. Courtois, a goalkeeper that is mainly good at saving shoots, not with the ball on his feet. Mendy, a very defensive left back. Casemiro, a very defensive midfielder, with limited ball playing and offensive attributes. Kroos and Modric, experienced veterans. Kroos - Vinicius, a midfielder with crazy good long balls and a winger that’s crazy good on open space. Finally, Valverde as a RW, a winger with much more defensive instructions than the average one.
Which teams do you think all those players and tactics are better against? Against which teams do you think Kroos can pinpoint a long through ball to Vini? High-pressing, high defensive teams that like to attack even when they’re up, like Liverpool, City or Bayern? Or most La Liga teams that sit back with 11 men behind the ball, even at a draw? Do you think players like Mendy and Casemiro are that necessairy in La Liga? It’s like the whole Real Madrid team is built on facing and winning against good teams. The problem is that sometimes it’s not as good against weaker teams.
Barcelona are the exact opposite. Faster tempo, really offensive fullbacks, DM is a deeper playmaker, not a guy like Casemiro. Wingers are purely offensive players, nothing close to Valverde or Lucas Vazquez who are supporting the defence as well. They don’t excell in counterattacks and open spaces like Kroos and Vini, they excell on short, closed spaces, with quick one-twos and stuff. That way they can outplay and suffocate weaker teams with constant passing and constantly outnumbering their park the bus tactics with tons of offensive players. What happens when you face an equally good team though? Trouble starts to appear. It’s no coincidence that Xavi decided to start Cancelo as a midfielder in the recent Clasico, he knows that it’s impossible to play against good teams with so attacking fullbacks. Alba was the same before Balde took over.
Another factor is youngsters. Real Madrid almost never give chances to academy players, most “youngsters” are mainly guys who were bought at around 17-18. In Barcelona it’s the exact opposite, it feels like every other week they find a new 16 year old out of nowhere. I know Pedri was bought, but Gavi, Balde, Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Guiu. All these guys can be very helpful in La Liga, where players have the luxury of getting rid of the pressure of playing first team football little by little. But when you throw too many youngsters in the mix in the UCL, you get back to back group stage exits.
So, I think they just have completely different approaches, that have (as expected) completely different results. I’m not saying one team is better than the other, it just make sense that Real Madrid are better in the UCL, while Barcelona are better in La Liga, mostly.
These teams have two completely different approaches, especially after their crazy good elite MSN and BBC eras. I’ll explain.
Look at Real Madrid’s 2022 UCL winning line-up. Courtois, a goalkeeper that is mainly good at saving shoots, not with the ball on his feet. Mendy, a very defensive left back. Casemiro, a very defensive midfielder, with limited ball playing and offensive attributes. Kroos and Modric, experienced veterans. Kroos - Vinicius, a midfielder with crazy good long balls and a winger that’s crazy good on open space. Finally, Valverde as a RW, a winger with much more defensive instructions than the average one.
Which teams do you think all those players and tactics are better against? Against which teams do you think Kroos can pinpoint a long through ball to Vini? High-pressing, high defensive teams that like to attack even when they’re up, like Liverpool, City or Bayern? Or most La Liga teams that sit back with 11 men behind the ball, even at a draw? Do you think players like Mendy and Casemiro are that necessairy in La Liga? It’s like the whole Real Madrid team is built on facing and winning against good teams. The problem is that sometimes it’s not as good against weaker teams.
Barcelona are the exact opposite. Faster tempo, really offensive fullbacks, DM is a deeper playmaker, not a guy like Casemiro. Wingers are purely offensive players, nothing close to Valverde or Lucas Vazquez who are supporting the defence as well. They don’t excell in counterattacks and open spaces like Kroos and Vini, they excell on short, closed spaces, with quick one-twos and stuff. That way they can outplay and suffocate weaker teams with constant passing and constantly outnumbering their park the bus tactics with tons of offensive players. What happens when you face an equally good team though? Trouble starts to appear. It’s no coincidence that Xavi decided to start Cancelo as a midfielder in the recent Clasico, he knows that it’s impossible to play against good teams with so attacking fullbacks. Alba was the same before Balde took over.
Another factor is youngsters. Real Madrid almost never give chances to academy players, most “youngsters” are mainly guys who were bought at around 17-18. In Barcelona it’s the exact opposite, it feels like every other week they find a new 16 year old out of nowhere. I know Pedri was bought, but Gavi, Balde, Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Guiu. All these guys can be very helpful in La Liga, where players have the luxury of getting rid of the pressure of playing first team football little by little. But when you throw too many youngsters in the mix in the UCL, you get back to back group stage exits.
So, I think they just have completely different approaches, that have (as expected) completely different results. I’m not saying one team is better than the other, it just make sense that Real Madrid are better in the UCL, while Barcelona are better in La Liga, mostly.