After a shambolic display of defense in the Olympic Stadium, Barcelona is again on the oblivion of another Champions League semi-final disaster. The second leg test will be in the mighty San Siro, and if the flaws of the first leg are not addressed urgently, the road to Munich might end in Milan. Let’s discuss four ways in which the battle will be won:
Alex Balde’s Return will be Key in Fixing The Left-Back Crisis
Gerard Martin, the Alex Balde replacement in the first leg, performed a horrific performance on Wednesday. The 23-year-old lost every aerial duel (0/5) and let Denzel Dumfries dominate the flank. Raphinha had no support and was left stranded. The need for Balde has never been more.
Balde’s explosive runs, ball-carrying prowess, and fearlessness in 1v1s force opponents backward. This creates spaces for Raphinha to cut inside and impose a bigger threat. Without Balde, Barcelona’s attack has become very narrow. Reports claim the La Masia left-back might be available for the second leg. If he’s fit, it will be a huge advantage for the Catalans. Otherwise, Flick must prepare for another Dumfries feast upon Gerard Martin.
The Disastrous Form in Defending Set-Pieces Needs to be Addressed
Barcelona has been poor at defending set-pieces this season. The Catalans conceded twice from corners in the first leg, and it was criminal. Inter Milan has absolute giants (Thuram, Acerbi, Bastoni), and they almost always smell blood while jumping up to attack corners.
Flick’s superb attacking football has left him blinded into paying attention to this aspect; his players must defend set-pieces with more aggression. Araujo and Martinez must bully the attackers, and Szczesny also needs to command his box like a dictator. Lewandowski is still sidelined and always helps in defending such dead balls. Thus, surviving every corner must be a priority for Flick’s defender.
Why Barcelona’s Offside Trap Must Be Flawless in Milan
Barca’s high line against Inter’s sensational counters seemed very vulnerable in the first leg. The Catalans were saved from being one goal down from literally an inch of offside in the first leg. One mistimed step from Cubarsi or Araujo, and the Inter players will turn this tie into humiliation in San Siro.
Flick should know that Inter’s attackers are masters at bending their runs and have fantastic coordination in counter-attacking. Inzaghi’s team displayed this several times with cold, calculated perfection in Montjuic, and for Barca, it must not be repeated in the final leg.
Barcelona’s Midfield Must Dominate to Silence San Siro
Let’s forget defending for a moment now. Flick’s teams biggest strength is its attacking. Barca has scored thrice against the best defensive team in the UCL and this tells us a thing. If the attack delivers, finishes well in the final third and dictate the tempo, Inter’s rhythym will shatter. And how will this attack thrive? Through Pedri and de Jong owning the midfield.
Both midfield maestros must dictate the tempo of the game and suffocate Inter’s playmakers. Fermin will also prove crucial with his runs in the box to disrupt Inter backline. De jong must look to carry the ball and bypass the press, while Pedri must create like he does. If this happens, Dumfries and Dimarco will play a lot deeper and Inzaghi’s defensive block will park the bus. Thus, lesser threat of attacks.
If Flick uses these tactics, Barca will easily prevail, and thus, a final one-game test will remain for the Catalans to lift the coveted UCL after 10 long years.