Chapter 643: The Changing Style
After the match against Juventus came to an end, the eagerly anticipated annual century derby against Barcelona awaited Real Madrid. At the post-match press conference, head coach Ancelotti expressed full confidence in the team.
"We've always known how to battle against Bar?a and come out victorious," his words elicited chuckles, except for a Catalan journalist whose face remained stern.
"Neymar and Suárez joining one after another has greatly improved Barcelona's attacking strength," the Italian coach shifted the topic, "which will pose a severe test for our defense."
"From the matches at the beginning of the season, like the Spanish Super Cup, it's evident that the team only clinches victory in the closing moments."
"So, we'll approach the game with confidence, but not arrogance to think we can easily defeat our opponents. Barcelona is still one of the best teams in the world."
His composed speech garnered nods from the media present. Ancelotti was increasingly displaying the demeanor of a champion coach, and his stature was subtly elevated to the highest level in the world.
Also present at the press conference, Wang Feng indicated that the coach had already presented the players' true thoughts, and he didn't have much to add.
"Yes, whether it's Messi, Suárez, or Neymar, they are undoubtedly among the top stars in today's football. Facing them will create significant pressure."
"However, our lineup is also outstanding. With players like Bale, Di María, Modric, and Ramos, we have reliable players in both defense and attack."
"So, I firmly believe that the team can secure a victory at the Camp Nou and continue our winning streak!"
Currently, only Barcelona and Real Madrid lead with 9 consecutive wins in La Liga, meaning whoever wins the century derby will gain a 3-point advantage, crucial for both teams.
Coincidentally, Barcelona's opponent in this round of the Champions League group stage is also from Serie A, AC Milan. They have faced each other in European competitions for three consecutive years.
Despite playing away, the Catalan team maintained high pressure and ball possession, giving the Rossoneri few chances to counterattack.
However, even in such circumstances, Kaká rose to the challenge, assisting Robinho in breaking the deadlock. Until now, the Brazilian star still harbored some resentment towards Barcelona, causing trouble for them every time they met.
Although Iniesta assisted Messi in equalizing the score, they couldn't crack AC Milan's defense completely, ending the match in a 1-1 draw.
Of course, the match result would hardly affect the qualification situation, but it cast a shadow over the century derby.
The Italian sports newspaper "Milan Sport" bluntly stated that the Rossoneri were not as far behind Barcelona as imagined. In the past two seasons, they had narrowly lost, and this draw indicated that they had a good chance to compete with the Catalan team for the top spot in the group.
"The only team that can truly dominate football is Real Madrid led by Wang Feng. The situation of one dominating over many has never changed."
Barcelona coach Martino stated that although the score wasn't perfect, the process was satisfactory. The players showed a positive attitude and good performance, believing that they would continue this form into the century derby.
For Suárez, who joined just in the summer, he had experienced national derbies and felt that the century derby was as passionate as the Premier League's "Manchester Derby", with both teams' players fighting with conviction.
"As for who impressed me the most? It's definitely Wang. There's no doubt about it. I've lost to him twice this year already, and I hope there won't be a third time."
Facing a century derby after playing two matches in a week, all players inevitably felt tired, and it was not an easy task for the head coach either.
Taking Ancelotti as an example, after studying Juventus' recent tactical style, he had to start studying Barcelona's tactical arrangements after the match.
Different from the clearer possession-based style inherited from Guardiola's lineage, the new Argentine coach evidently had his own ideas and style, even causing controversy at one point.
That was after the match against Valladolid when statistics from various sources, including "Marca", "AS", and the official statistics of the Catalan team, showed that their possession rate was below 50%.
Thus, Barcelona's streak of consecutive matches with a possession rate higher than their opponents, spanning 316 games, came to an end, sparking heated debates in Spanish football.
The main topic of discussion was whether Barcelona had abandoned their possession-based football style or just added another tactical option.
This approach did not provoke intense backlash from fans simply because the club's results were good. Those who complained or thought that too many long passes disrupted the elegant play temporarily suppressed their dissatisfaction.
Coaches like Rijkaard, Guardiola, and Vilanova adhered to the traditional possession-based style of play, achieving good results but unable to defeat Real Madrid.
Therefore, Martino sought change. He knew he had no retreat, and the century derby would be the best opportunity to respond to doubts and solidify his position. Success would propel them to new heights, but failure would be irreversible.
His innovation also sparked much discussion within the team. Lionel Messi, in the most critical position, remained noncommittal, only expressing that he would actively join the team's defense as requested by the coach.
Meanwhile, forwards like Pedro and Suárez expressed approval, stating that "creating attacks by pressing the opponent is correct, and changing from possession-based play to counterattacks sometimes has a beneficial effect on the situation."
Martino himself never admitted that he wanted to change Barcelona's style of play, always emphasizing that it wasn't a subversion. After all, Marcos was a representative of Barcelona's long-passing style back in the day, and now returning to old tactics to increase football diversity was not unreasonable.
However, the match process was very clear. Barcelona now adjusted their rhythm on the field according to specific situations.
They played with more intensity and focused on counterattacks, resulting in increased fouls and yellow cards, naturally leading to more interceptions. The emphasis on long passes and aerial strikes greatly increased, something unimaginable during the Guardiola era.
"Barcelona is no longer the Barcelona of old. It's hard to determine whether this Barcelona is better or worse compared to before winning the championship, but reality forces us to try and change, doesn't it?"
Cruyff wrote in his column, which was unlike the sharp character of the Dutchman in the past. Many people thought he would be the first to criticize Martino, but what they got was a speech with subtle support.
Upon closer inspection, one could discern the dilemma of the Catalans at the moment. They were almost at their wit's end, willing to try anything that could improve the current situation.
As for Barcelona's changes, Wang Feng felt there was no need to think too much about it. They would play according to their own best tactical style and mode. They would play how they played best.
This statement made Ancelotti and Zidane couldn't help but smile bitterly. All they could do was to maintain their usual strategy of retracting defense but not overly defensive, and when it was time to attack, they could deploy heavy troops.
As for other considerations, they could only wait and adjust according to the situation after the match officially started.
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