Barcelona hosted Valencia at the Camp Nou for a clash that almost never leaves the fans disappointed. Usually, the Catalans know how to manage games against Los Che, especially considering that Ernesto Valverde has never lost a game against them at home with four wins and five draws so far to his name.
What they probably did not count on was that they would be chasing the result for a good part of the game. In the end, they shared the spoils with two goals apiece. As our analysis has pointed out before, Barcelona have been really impressive at overturning deficits, even when the odds have not been in their favor.
In this tactical analysis, we will use statistics to explain what transpired in Catalunya and how two of La Liga’s big fish secured an important point in an everlasting struggle that is the Spanish top flight.
Lineups
Barcelona (4-3-3)
Starting XI: Ter Stegen – Semedo, Pique, Vermaelen, Sergi – Vidal, Rakitić, Aleña – Messi, Suarez, Coutinho
Bench: Iñaki Peña, Lenglet, Murillo, Alba, Arthur, Boateng, Malcom
Coach: Ernesto Valverde
Valencia (4-4-2)
Starting XI: Neto – Piccini, Garay, Paulista, Lato – Wass, Coquelin, Parejo, Cheryshev – Rodrigo, Gameiro
Bench: Doménech, Roncaglia, Soler, Torres, Kondogbia, Lee Kang-In, Santi Mina
Coach: Marcelino Garcia Toral
To read the full match analysis, click here.