Quality recoveries & build-up play that offers guarantees
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.

Madrid aim to advance up the pitch & prove their potency
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.

Atletico Madrid & their carries leading to shots
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).

Betis & their breathtaking dangerous possessions
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).

Dangerous possessions that result in goalscoring chances
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.

It’s your Game
Matchday 28
Atlético de Madrid
Cádiz CF
FRI 11.03.2022
20:00
Season 2021/2022
Riyadh Air Metropolitano
Levante UD
RCD Espanyol de Barcelona
SAT 12.03.2022
13:00
Season 2021/2022
Estadio Ciutat de València
FC Barcelona
CA Osasuna
SUN 13.03.2022
20:00
Season 2021/2022
Spotify Camp Nou
RCD Mallorca
Real Madrid
MON 14.03.2022
20:00
Season 2021/2022
Estadi Mallorca Son Moix
FC Barcelona
CA Osasuna
SUN 13.03.2022
20:00
Season 2021/2022
Matchday 28
Spotify Camp Nou
Xavi continues to build expectation levels
There is no mistaking that Barcelona’s game has changed. There are a series of factors that have led to this evolution in a style that continues to be based on positional build-up play, whilst possession remains a prominent feature. The first aspect that we wish to highlight is the team’s press following a turnover, which is central to the recoveries made in the opposition’s half. Only one top-flight team outperform the Catalan giants when it comes to the number of players involved in the press after a turnover (an average of three), whilst the Azulgranas are the league’s bridesmaids in terms of the number of players involved in each possession. This contributes to ensuring that Barça’s attacking transitions involve a goal threat, with Xavi’s troops ranked second in the top-tier standings for dangerous possessions, with over five per match.
Arrasate contract renewal brings renewed hope at Osasuna
A large banner hung from a building in the centre of Pamplona a few days ago to announce that Jagoba Arrasate had renewed his contract at the club. The decision to reward the coach isn’t based exclusively on his commitment to the cause, but also owes to his on-field results and the team’s highly effective system. By way of example, this video demonstrates that an impressive 13% of the Rojillos’ recoveries are dangerous recoveries.
What’s more, no other side in the league is subject to as much pressure as the Navarrans, who are involved in the most double-pressure passes (almost 15 per match) in the division. Meanwhile, the boys from El Sadar lie second in the league table for the distance between their players and the opposition when they receive a pass. We mustn’t forget that despite these statistics, Osasuna continue to be one of the league’s biggest advocates of direct football and lie second in the division’s charts for the number of opponents beaten per pass.
PLAYER FOCUS
Dembele is top LaLiga Santander performer in build-up play
The trickery and pace that Ousmane Dembele offers in every move is clear for all to see and is reflected in many statistics. As illustrated in this video, the French wizard features amongst the top 15 players in the division for carries leading to shots, whilst he is also one of the league’s front runners in terms of the ground covered with these carries.
He also ranks amongst the division’s top 15 players for the number of passes in the final third (over 19) and is also one amongst the top performers for the number to attempts (over three per game). In short, he combines powerful carries with the ability to take shots and play passes in the danger zone.




