Lionel Messi's advice to Barça team-mate Gerard Deulofeu at Getafe
The Argentine spoke with the winger as soon as he replaced Dembele
Messi explained to Deulofeu that he wanted space for Alba on the left
Not even half an hour had been played at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez when Ousmane Dembele left the pitch injured. The French international had swapped wings and was playing on the left when he ruptured a tendon. Gerard Deulofeu was the player chosen by Ernesto Valverde to take his place and, no sooner had he entered, he received some advice from Lionel Messi.
The Argentine asked him to pin himself to the right win and to leave the left free for Jordi Alba, so that there's not an excess of bodies when he tried to play a diagonal pass out to the on-rushing left-back.
With Deulofeu on the right, Messi has two options for passes, to Alba or to Gerard, while the right side is also better protected defensively. Leo feels more comfortable with that system and that's what he told to the winger from Riudarenes.
It had good results, although it demands a lot from Jordi Alba, who has to work the left flank practically on his own. In the games when Alba rests, though, Ernesto Valverde may ask Deulofeu to play on the left, as Lucas Digne doesn't have the same attacking capacity. In any case, the Barça coach is aware of the style of play which makes Messi feel more at home.
