Sergio Busquets's replacement, a headscratcher for Xavi

Sergio Busquets has been one of the great beneficiaries of Xavi’s arrival. With him, Barcelona have improved in terms of pressing. The team plays closer together and that helps Busquets find a context suited to his play. 

Busquets doesn’t just enjoy having the ball but instead is one of the players most effective at recovering it in opponents’ territory. It’s hard for Xavi to find the right replacement when he needs to rest. 

Until now it’s been Frenkie de Jong given the job. It’s nothing new for Frenkie but at Barcelona he does not do it in a double pivot like in his best days at Ajax or with Holland.

Against Galatasaray he started as a pivot, and like against Napoli at Camp Nou, the team did not like the change. Barcelona find it hard to adapt to a player who is not like Busquets.

While the Catalan is a positional player, always on the first touch, Frenkie’s game is more based on driving forward and constant movement. The result is that Barcelona lack fluidity. 

Another problem is that the Dutchman does not link with his teammates on his adventures. When he did it at Ajax he could play one-twos up the pitch. So, his best minutes are coming as an interior midfielder. He’s had a good time there after months of criticism.

Against Galatasaray, in the second half, he moved up the pitch to that position with Busquets on for Nico. 

Xavi used him as right interior and he didn’t have a good half - it’s surprising Xavi is not giving him chances in the pivot role. That was where Nico shone under Pimienta.