Xavi's plan to break up games with Ousmane Dembele and Adama Traore
The coach uses the wingers strategically to try and capitalise on their explosiveness
We always focus on the starting XIs for matches, but the coaches are also thinking about how to turn a game around or what the match might be like at the end too. Xavi is sure; he wants to keep an ace up his sleeve for second halves. Dembele or Adama. Both have been used to come on and change games.
They are similar profile players, explosive, quick, and admittedly also don’t make the best decisions. Their physiques allow them to break up games against defences that are already tired. Without going further; Dembele’s best performances have come as a substitute.
It doesn’t mean that they can’t be starters; Adama was great against Atletico and Espanyol.
It’s not a coincidence that both players have not started together. In four games so far with Adama, the coach has kept one of them in reserve for the second half.
They have only coincided on the pitch together once, against Espanyol, because Barcelona were losing. Xavi needed to turn it around so armed both flanks with this dynamite.
Against Napoli Ousmane came on for Adama, while at Mestalla Ousmane had gone off before Adama came on.
So we will have to see how they line up against Napoli, with Gavi likely to play on the left of the attack and probably one of Adama or Dembele on the right.
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