22 shots, 4.23 xG and eight saves from Unai Simón: FC Barcelona besiege Athletic Club and win by only two.
The numbers
| FC Barcelona | Athletic Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 70% | 30% |
| Shots | 22 | 5 |
| On target | 10 | 0 |
| xG | 4.23 | 0.25 |
| Corners | 12 | 5 |
| Pass accuracy | 90% | 73% |
Result the chances deserved: FC Barcelona 97% / 3% / Athletic Club 1% (Poisson).
Starting line-ups
FC Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Joan García, Eric García, Cubarsí, Gerard Martín, Espart, Bernal, Pedri, Yamal, Fermín, Gordon, Raphinha.
Athletic Club (4-2-3-1): Simón, Rincón, Yeray, Laporte, Louis-Jean, Jauregizar, Canales, Iñaki Williams, Sancet, Nico Williams, Guruzeta.
Athletic Club subs: Berenguer & Navarro (60', Iñaki & Nico Williams), Boiro & Gerenabarrena (70', Louis-Jean & Jauregizar), Djaló (81', Guruzeta). Athletic Club manager: Edin Terzić.
Line-ups, minutes, xG and possession: FotMob (Fox Sports lists Urtasán rather than Canales in Athletic's midfield; Athletic Club's own report lists Canales). Shots on target, corners and pass accuracy: Sofascore. Athletic Club's report lists Bernal in Barça's back line and Espart in midfield, which fits Espart stepping inside from left-back.
Key moments, move by move
- Pedri drops deep to collect the ball in front of Athletic Club's midfield.
- He threads a pass between the centre-backs, Yeray and Laporte.
- Raphinha runs onto it, rounds Unai Simón and rolls it into the empty net.
- Adeyemi, on for two minutes, crosses from the left.
- Laporte's attempted clearance goes towards his own goal and wrong-foots Simón.
- Fermín is first to it and taps into the empty net.
Pedri from deep, Raphinha between the centre-backs
- A siege. FC Barcelona had 70% of the ball, 620 passes, 44 touches in the box and 18 shots from inside it (Sofascore). Cubarsí had more touches than anyone (119) and completed 101 of 106 passes: the build-up went through him.
- The goal came from Pedri dropping. Pedri came short to collect in front of Athletic Club's midfield and threaded the ball between Laporte and Yeray for Raphinha's run (beIN). Pedri completed 52 of 54 passes with three key passes. The animation reconstructs that pattern.
- Espart inside from the left. Flick said he was surprised by how well Espart played on the left. Athletic Club's own report lists him in midfield, which fits a full-back who moves inside when FC Barcelona have the ball.
- Athletic Club's plan: a deep 4-2-3-1 that tried to hit FC Barcelona on the break (Comuniate). It produced five shots, none on target, and 0.25 xG. The best chance was a Sancet shot against the post: after an Eric García mistake at 74' in one beIN report, a 20-yard drive at 63' in another.
Recreate it in FM26
FC Barcelona · FC Barcelona's siege: 70% of the ball, 44 box touches · 4-2-3-1Show cardHide card
FC Barcelona's siege: 70% of the ball, 44 box touches
| Pos | Player | In Possession | Out of Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Joan García | Sweeper Keeper | Sweeper Keeper |
| RB | Eric García | Inside Full-Back | Holding Full-Back |
| RCB | Cubarsí | Ball-Playing Centre-Back | Covering Centre-Back |
| LCB | Gerard Martín | Ball-Playing Centre-Back | Stopping Centre-Back |
| LB | Espart | Inverted Full-Back | Pressing Full-Back |
| RDM | Bernal | Half-Back | Screening Defensive Midfielder |
| LDM | Pedri | Deep-Lying Playmaker | Pressing Defensive Midfielder |
| RW | Yamal | Inside Forward | Inside Outlet Winger |
| AM | Fermín | Attacking Midfielder | Tracking Attacking Midfielder |
| LW | Gordon | Winger | Tracking Winger |
| ST | Raphinha | Channel Forward | Tracking Centre Forward |
Team instructions
In Possession
- Passing DirectnessShorter
- Build-Up StrategyPlay Through Press
- Attacking TransitionPatient Build-Up
- PatienceWork Ball Into Box
Out of Possession
- Line of EngagementHigh Press
- Defensive LineMuch Higher
- Defensive TransitionCounter-Press
The idea: Cubarsí builds, Espart moves inside from left-back and Pedri drops deep to receive, so the front four can stay high and pin a deep back line. You need a playmaker in Pedri's slot who can pass through two centre-backs, and a centre-forward who runs in behind rather than coming short.
What FM26 can't copy: FM26 can't reproduce a goalkeeper having a night like Unai Simón's: expect the scoreline to be bigger.
Our reading of this match in FM26 terms, not an exported tactic file. Role names as in FM26.
What if? Replay it with a different plan
Our best alternative plan: Formation 4-4-2, Adeyemi on at 60' (for Gordon). Put a second striker next to Raphinha to occupy both centre-backs and give Pedri two targets, and bring Adeyemi on earlier. Simón was the problem; more shots from better positions is the only answer to a goalkeeper in that form. It moves FC Barcelona's win chance from 97% to 97% (xG 4.23–0.25 becomes 4.48–0.30). Try your own changes to formation, pressing, approach and substitutions.
The game-changer FC Barcelona needed
Andreas Christensen
Athletic Club had one real chance: Sancet hitting the post with the score still 1–0, after an Eric García error at 74' according to one of beIN's reports. Christensen coming on at right centre-back or with Eric García moving out would have given FC Barcelona a calmer defender for the last 20 minutes of a game that was still in the balance.
Harry Kane
FC Barcelona had 10 shots on target and scored only one of them past Simón. Kane is one of the best finishers in the world from inside the box and also drops deep to link play, so Pedri and Fermín would still have a player to combine with. Against a goalkeeper in this form, better shot placement is the only way through.
What the analysts said
“Everyone is happy that Rodri is playing with us. He's the perfect player for us, for our style.”Hansi Flick (Barca Universal)
“I'm really impressed by what I'm seeing; I'm even surprised by how well he's playing on the left.”Hansi Flick on Espart (Barca Universal)
“For me, it's important that when we have Raphinha or any other number 9, we can stick to our game plan.”Hansi Flick (Barca Universal)
“That's the reason why he's one of the best goalkeepers in the world.”Edin Terzić on Unai Simón (Goal)
“Very happy to make my debut. Happy with the win. Two for two.”Rodri (Goal)
A siege that ended 2–0: the gap was one goalkeeper, not bad finishing.
What's happening. Barcelona beat Athletic 2–0 with 22 shots to five and ten on target to none. Unai Simón made eight saves. It stayed 1–0 until the 82nd minute.
How it works. Cubarsí and Gerard Martín built from the back almost without error, Pedri dropped to collect, and Yamal attacked from the right. The goal was the best version of it: Pedri deep, Raphinha running between two centre-backs. When a deep block is pinned this far back, the attacking side can keep its front four high and wait for the gap.
What the shots say. Replaying every shot, Barcelona win 99 times in 100. They made five big chances and scored two. Athletic's only real moment, a shot off the post, came after a Barcelona mistake, not from their own plan.