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This video illustrates how recoveries can be distinguished not only in terms of their effectiveness, but also their quality. Barcelona record the fourth-most advantageous recoveries in the league, i.e. situations that involve a numerical advantage and where the side in possession has more players ahead of the ball than the opposition.
Given the importance of build-up play in the system deployed by Xavi’s troops, the team’s set-up at the start of the attacking transition is key. This video shows how the Barcelona players react in these situations. It’s worth pointing out that 15% of the Catalan giants’ recoveries put them at an advantage.
Real Madrid are the LaLiga Santander front runners for the number of carries leading to shots, with four per game to their name. Carries can be analysed from a whole host of angles, but in this case we’re keen to look at their outcome, i.e. shots.
There’s no question that Ancelotti’s charges are capable of making the most of these actions, as illustrated in our Clip of the Week. The players’ ability to go past their man, their skill level and decision-making ability are key to the success of such actions, which can reap rich rewards for the capital club.
As we can see in this clip, Simeone’s boys post an average of two carries that lead to shots per game. Indeed, this is one of Atleti’s favourite tactics to pose a threat on goal. If we dive deeper and take a look at what the Wanda Metropolitano-based outfit do in possession, we learn that they feature amongst the league’s top five teams for the number of players per possession (almost three), whilst they find themselves amongst the division’s leading five teams for the number of dangerous possessions per match (4.6).
When it comes to possession, there are a whole host of aspects that we can analyse, with one of them being the degree of danger created. When we speak of dangerous possessions, we’re referring to those that end in a goal or a goalscoring opportunity. This video features a dangerous possession put together by Manuel Pellegrini’s charges. Betis excel in this department and lie second in the LaLiga standings for the number of dangerous possessions (5.7 per outing).
The Real Madrid players ensure that their team balance enables them to consistently produce and improve on their statistics as the games goes on. As we can see in the latest instalment of Clip of the Week, the Blancos record more dangerous possessions than any other side in the league (6.76 per game) and, crucially, they make them count.
FC Barcelona
Real Madrid
SUN 24.10.2021
16:15
Season 2021/2022
Spotify Camp Nou
FC Barcelona
Real Madrid
SUN 24.10.2021
16:15
Season 2021/2022
Matchday 10
Spotify Camp Nou
ElClasico brings two of Spanish football's rivals par excellence head to head. FC Barcelona host Real Madrid as the team with greatest possession ratio, initiative and attacking build-up play in the competition, or in other words, a team that attempts to control the game through possession. Ronald Koeman's charges hold the top spot when it comes to the number of passes, and are second on the percentage of possession accumulated in the opposing half. However, it is not all about keeping the ball. Once they lose it, this Barça team have shown that they work hard to win it back: they are among the top three on the percentage of recoveries in the opposing half. The effectiveness of their pressing after losing the ball reduces the need to sit back and defend, minimising the threat to their goal: they are among the top five teams who concede the fewest shots.
They take on their arch-rivals, Real Madrid, who head into the clash with their attacking effectiveness as their trump card. Los Blancos are the side who unleash the most shots in the competition, and the one who manage to place the greatest percentage of their shots on target. The outfit overseen by Carlo Ancelotti is also the one with the greatest effectiveness in all of LaLiga Santander both when it comes to building up the play and finishing: they are the team who need the fewest shots to score a goal. Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr, among others, are managing to convert the team's attacking potential into a veritable onslaught for opposing defences and goalkeepers. They are on fire up front!
The time for LaLiga's stars to do battle has arrived. FC Barcelona and Real Madrid face each other in the most eagerly awaited match of the season. Los Azulgranas stand out for their ability to gain ground in each of their attacking moves: they are the team who advance the greatest distance per possession in all of LaLiga Santander. Koeman's men are also second in the competition in terms of involving the most players in each possession, as well as the team who make the most double-pressure passes per match. All of these metrics demonstrate their intent and ability to link-up in tight spaces.
Los Blancos, meanwhile, are the team who have scored the most goals in the competition, by some margin, notching up a total of 22. Real Madrid serve up a more direct game than their opponents, showing an outstanding efficiency: they are the team with the greatest percentage of dangerous possessions ending in a goal. Their attacks are characterised by their power and explosiveness, as the team in LaLiga Santander who perform the most maximum-intensity actions; i.e., moves where they run at least 10 metres at over 28 km/h. They are also among the top three teams in the division who perform the most very high-intensity actions; i.e., who perform the most actions at over 24 km/h (covering at least 15 metres).
The French striker goes into the match against FC Barcelona as LaLiga Santander's standout player so far. Benzema is the top goalscorer and the top assist-provider in the championship, with nine goals and seven assists in just eight games, and he plays a direct role in almost 70% of his team's goals. He is also the player who fires off the most shots in the competition. As for his influence on the build-up, it is worth stressing that he makes the most passes in the attacking zone in the entire division. In this regard, he has an average of 2.3 teammates ahead of him at the moment when he releases his passes, showing that, in addition to his goalscoring, he is hugely important in the final stretch of his team’s build-up play. He also averages 2.3 opponents ahead of him at the moment of regaining possession, playing a decisive role in Real Madrid’s moves after winning the ball back. Karim Benzema is the driving force of Los Blancos' attack. He is a true leader and will try to guide his teammates to victory at the Camp Nou on Sunday.