La Liga finally returned to the Camp Nou last Saturday and once again, it was a goal-fest. After they demolished Real Betis 5-2 in Catalonia on matchday two, Barcelona did the same to Valencia on matchday four. Ernesto Valverde can be satisfied with most of the things he saw and Los Che did well, considering what a hectic week they had.
This tactical analysis will aim to give you analysis on both Barcelona’s and Valencia’s tactics on the night and dissect how exactly the Blaugrana crushed the Bats of Valencia in the heart of Catalonia.
Lineups
There were a couple of changes on Barcelona’s side of things from the last time we saw them in La Liga. The majority of the team, however, remained the same. Lionel Messi was still in the stands as the little Argentine is recovering from his injury but Luis Suárez returned to the squad and featured off the bench in the second half.
The only changes from last time were Arthur Melo, whose fantastic appearance against Osasuna warranted him a start at the Camp Nou, and the same goes for the 16-year-old Ansu Fati, who was once again the star of the show.

As far as Valencia’s lineup is considered, no major changes were made by the new coach. With Marcelino sacked just days prior to the game, it was to be expected the team would be shaken and Alberto Celades would make minimal changes to the team that featured before the international break.
To read the full tactical analysis of this match- click here

Artwork by @chapulana
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