How Hansi Flick’s Barcelona laid the perfect trap to turn Kylian Mbappe’s Clasico debut into a nightmare | Football News

At the stroke of 30 minutes, Kylian Mbappe skated to the corner flag, roared, spread his arms and struck the pose for cameras and fans to soak. He had just authored his first El Clasico goal—a sumptuous strike at that. He lured the goalkeeper, Inaki Pena, towards him and swept his shot over and across him into the bottom left corner. But his celebrations turned to anguish when semi-automatic offside technology judged he was marginally offside. He had bisected the gap between the centre-backs Inigo Martinez and Pau Cubarsi but mimed his run millimetres. In disbelief, he held his hands over his mouth.
This was not an exception; rather the theme of the night at the Bernabeu. The regimented and devastating high line of Barcelona caught Real Madrid’s attackers offside 12 times. Mbappe, the jewel in the Madrid crown, fluffed his lines eight times alone. His first five touches raised the assant referee’s flag. Twice, it came as a relief as he had flayed his shot wide. But this one hurt, he had scored, celebrated and then chalked off. It was undeniably the moment that the momentum shifted to the visitors.
Mbappe, the jewel in the Madrid crown, fluffed his lines eight times alone. (Reuters)
The tactic—chiselled to perfection—has defined the era of Hansi Flick. Teams have averaged 6.5 offsides per La Liga game this season against him, the best in Europe and twice more than the best of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona (3.74 in 2010). He has fused German cutting-edge with Catalan tactical purism. He idolises Johan Cruyff, counts his predecessor Xavi as his friend, but maintains the German ideals of tactical flexibility and directness. From the first game of the season, Barcelona have maintained a dangerously high defence line, with the backline and central midfielder slotting themselves into what almost resembles a straight line, high up the pitch.
The full-backs would be slightly more forward than the centre-backs: 17-year-old Curbarsi and Martinez, who is twice his age. The midfield line is almost breathing on them, so much so that they shrink the field to half its size. They spread out like a human chain to cut out the holes. So did Pep, who also laid clever offside snares, but never so systematic or rigorous like Flick’s set up. The players had to be supremely fit and young. Six of his starting eleven were under-21s. Fitness and discipline had been emphasised since the first day. Slower players like Ilkay Gundogan were asked to move on.
For this radical offside trap to succeed, defenders need flawless coordination. Timing is everything. Defenders must step up together, creating a straight line that pushes attackers offside. Cubarsi and Martinez have settled into a pair that could communicate telepathically. But any hesitation or misstep can allow the opponent to stay onside and threaten the goal. A few times, they reacted late and nearly paid the price, saved Madrid’s sloppy finishing. Even the VAR-chalked off goal could be viewed in two ways — clever defending or reckless reaction.
Holding shape is primary. In case someone advances with the ball, another promptly occupies the space. Unlike the Pep era, the defenders are more in your eyes. Rub your eyes too—they top the chart in completing more tackles in the final third of the pitch (33). The word itself was considered ugly during Guardiola’s time.
Fundamental to the ploy’s success is the communication of the defenders, ensuring everyone moves at the same time. But football is no choreographed dance. They err too—Barcelona have leaked 10 goals in 11 games, a figure neither impressive nor shameful.
On several instances on Saturday, it looked as though Mbappe was miming his run. He was, but not because he ran too early, but the defenders didn’t fluff their own lines. High defensive lines entice forwards to get off the blocks too early. The space behind lights them up. A well-weighted needle-eyed pass is what they require to tee off into acres of space. And Mbappe has unmatched pace to burn. Here, his biggest strength was a barrier too. He might have been over-eager. It was his supposed statement-making game. His first El Clasico at home. Madrid dominated the first half, but they were the most frustrated.
In the second half, they switched through the gears and cut the Madrid backline to ribbons. Barcelona’s twinkle-toed forwards wove mysterious patterns around the men in white and struck four delightful goals. The soul of their game is their forward-play, tricksy forwards buzzing back and forth. But title-winning seasons are founded on robust defences.
Flick’s is not the only proponent of laying offside nets, though the most efficient one. Aston Villa’s Unai Emery too spins daring offside webs. Last season, they lured an average of 4.2 offsides a game. It’s no coincidence that the scheme has become more prevalent after the introduction of VAR, which has sided with defenders in case of marginal offside calls.
Like all strategies, an antidote would be found out. And an antidote to the antidote too. But what is magnificent is that Flick has turned a ragged, underperforming footballing giant into a thrilling, winning proposition. Vanquishing both Bayern and Madrid in four days time, they are retracing their paths to lost glory.