The new team strategist Luis Enrique intends to establish an innovative tactical scheme in the new season and restore the lost glory of Barcelona - stated in a special statement by the journalist Ben Hayward of "goal.com".
The Catalan club is expecting many changes: a new head coach has taken over the team, several expensive players have been acquired, and, on top of that, the long-used 4-3-3 tactical scheme may be abandoned.
Previously, there were also cases when "Barca" chose a different formation. Pep Guardiola, during his four-year tenure at the club, sometimes used a 3-4-3 formation, and the Catalans also surprised in a world club cup final against "Santos" by playing, so to speak, 3-7-0. Several times a 3-3-4 scheme was also chosen.
However, after Guardiola's departure "Barca" became much more predictable, and last season, when the club did not win any trophies, Gerardo Martino's tactics were often criticized.
Luis Enrique understands that other teams have already managed to understand the game of the Barcelona team in recent years, so the coach is determined to change it. This means that in the 2014-15 season, several different systems will likely be used, but it is interesting that the main tactical scheme could be an unusual 3-2-3-2.
The coach will also have to decide which of the two goalkeepers, acquired this summer, will start the new season between the posts. Both Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Claudio Bravo receive the sympathy of Luis Enrique, so it is likely that the coach will make the final decision based on the players' form in preseason matches. Considering experience in La Liga and age, Bravo currently seems to be in the leading position, but both players are capable of being called "sweepers" - their ability to play outside the penalty area and distribute the ball allows them to stop opponent attacks well and, most importantly, create conditions for defenders to move further away from their own goal.
In the depth of the field, the latest acquisition Jeremy Mathieu (who started his career as an attacking full-back, so he will be allowed to run forward) will form a defensive trio with Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba or Marc Bartra. The Catalan club is still looking for a center-back comfortable with having three or four defenders. Dani Alves, in the meantime, does not fit into the coach's plans and is preparing to leave Barcelona this summer.
Javier Mascherano could also play as a central defender, but Luis Enrique was impressed by the Argentine's performance as a holding midfielder at the World Cup and expects to position the 30-year-old slightly forward from the defensive line. In this case, if necessary, Mascherano could drop deeper and help the defenders, as Sergio Busquets will be entrusted with a more creative role. Another alternative is to place this summer's acquisition Ivan Rakitic next to Sergio Busquets, where he would have to create and defend both, and place the Argentine in the defender position.
Further up, immediately behind the attackers, two wingers would play, most likely Neymar on the left and Pedro on the right, competing for a place with "Fiorentina" defender Juan Cuadrado, who remains the target of the Catalan club in this offseason.
Xavi, Andres Iniesta or Rakitic could play in the middle. Lionel Messi could also be an alternative in this position, then Luis Enrique would have to move Neymar to the center forward position.
FIFA has banned Luis Suarez from playing until the end of October for biting Italy's defender Giorgio Chiellini, but Barcelona and the team's coach are already trying to figure out how to fit all the best players on the field while maintaining a strong defense.
"Luis Enrique is a true member of Barca and loves the 4-3-3 formation," a close source to the Catalan club said. "But he also appreciates several other systems and will not hesitate to use them. The 3-2-3-2 idea is just like the 3-5-2, and that's one of the alternatives he has in mind. But what players do on the field is much more important than the system."
So, the most important aspect of the formation is flexibility.
"The defensive line made up of three people will allow the wing players to attack when the team has the ball, as Mascherano and Busquets can drop deeper and hold positions," added the source. "Also, with five defenders, positioned in two lines, we will be able to control the ball and look even more solid than we have ever seen. This is a perfect situation."
In the opponents' field, Messi will still have the opportunity to move forward or drop closer to the defenders - just as he did at Barca in the last few seasons after moving from the right wing to the center of the attack.
"Messi would play as one of the two forwards, but his role would be the same. He could drop to the defensive line or take dangerous positions in the penalty area. This would allow Neymar and others to run around the penalty area and also find themselves in good positions from which to shoot at goal," clarified the person from within the club.
He added: "Luis Enrique played as a defender, a midfielder, and an attacker at Barca and uses all his knowledge to make his team hard to beat."
"This will be total football."
