Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez never abandoned 4-3-3 formation

"Xavi had to go back to the 4-3-3 to regain his brilliance and attacking play." "The third forward was key to being more vertical and opening up the pitch."

After the display against Real Betis on Saturday, many voices and sectors have highlighted a 'return' to the original formation, to the quintessence of FC Barcelona, to try to generate more and show a more overwhelming version against the rivals. But no, Xavi has not changed the formation. In fact, on Tuesday against Antwerp, he will put it into practice again. 

The coach from Terrassa has reiterated it during several press conferences.

"We don't play a 4-4-2 even though many of you insist on saying it and repeating it."

It's true that there have been on many occasions four natural, pure midfielders, but the design has nothing to do with that scheme.

BALDE WIDE & JOAO FÉLIX/GAVI INSIDE

The setup has never changed. Or at least since they started playing like that a long time ago, the formation has always been the same. It's a 4-3-3 with Balde at left back and Gavi usually playing as a false left winger, not pure. This is how the team defends and presses.

When the team attacks and has the ball it turns into a 3-4-3 with Balde playing as a left winger and Gavi going inside and creating the box, for example with Romeu and De Jong at the base and Gundogan and Gavi in front. The other day, Gavi and Joao Felix. Joao in the 4-3-3 formation is a left winger and when Barça have the ball he goes inside, joins the midfielders and becomes a 3-4-3. 

This has nuances. And even more so with the arrival of Cancelo. What Joao did the other day, Dani Alves had already done with Xavi. Especially the day against Atlético in which the Brazilian was at right-back and Jordi Alba at left-back.

The slight variation is that at times it becomes a 2-3-5 because you have the two centre-backs who stay in, you have the two full-backs who come up plus the ones up top. 

But, in short, the starting line-up is always a 4-3-3 which transforms into a 3-4-3 in attack. With nuances and movements. Xavi always reiterates that it is not a 4-4-2. There are more pure midfielders as such, but for example on the day of Cadiz at home, De Jong played as a central midfielder. Just like Rodri in the World Cup with Spain.