El Clasico Real Madrid vs FC Barcelona Goal Review and Soccer Tutorial

1-0 Madrid 1st minute of play – Goal Analysis

Positives

• Madrid attackers apply high pressure early on as Barcelona tries to work the ball out of the back • Good interception by DiMaria • Ozil volleys the ball immediately on a poor clearance and ends up with a lucky deflection • Benszcema in perfect (onside) positionand volleys nicely

Negatives

•  Primarily fault must lie with goalie Victor Valdes, who was careless in assuming that there was no one pressuring his left back, resulting in a fatal interception

• Pique should have cleared his defenders out of the box, to avoid keeping Benscema onside

• In trying to contain the shot, Barcelona defenders left Benszcema completely un-marked • Barcelona defenders should start their games with greater composure next time

Key Lessons:

• Goalies must maintain composure especially early in the game -  because they set the tone for the whole team.  Valdes should
  
  take his time in controlling and then distributing the ball – if no one
  is open, goalies should clear the ball far and wide (beyond the half
  line ideally)– good examples, Van der Sar and Neuer
• When goalies receive a passback as the opposing team applies high
  pressure – there are often no teammates free to pass to.  In this case, the ball should be cleared far and wide.

1-1 Sanchez ties in the 30th minute of play – Goal Analysis

Positives

• Leo Messi does an incredible job dribbling the ball forward (warding off 4 defenders!)  into the opposition's half

• Messi sees Alexi Sanchez making a great slanted run towards the penalty area and lays the ball off for him  superbly • Sanchez doesn't hesitate – but shoots the ball immediately on the run – precisely in the lowerleft corner • Barcelona uses its best players effectively – and don't let them go to waste • great teamwork, skills and movement

Negatives

• The fact that Messi overtook 4 Real defenders says something about Madrid's lack of coordinating defensive containment and poor tackling skills

• Pepe could have slid in to disrupt Messi's pass to Sanchez, but he didn't • Support/cover defender Coentrao could have added pressure on Sanchez, but he didn't (no effecective pressure/cover/balance)

1-1 Madrid 30th minute of play – Key Lessons:

• Whenplaying against star playmaking players like Messi, consider  applying
  
  double-team pressure against him when he receives the ball and make sure your
  
  players get back to maintain numbers up on defense – so that his teammates are
  
  marked.

Pressure-cover-balance - the nearest defender should start applying high pressure (yellow arrow),

with controlled physical play, poking, jabbing, or sliding in for the ball etc.),  the secondary defenders support

the pressuring defender with cover, while the remaining defenders are providing balance.

El Clasico the Messi-Sanchez goal ties the game 

1-2 Xavi volleys to give Barca the lead in the 53rd minute of play – Goal Analysis

Positives

• Barcelona maintains possession in the front third left corner of the field following a throw-in –moving the ball around fast • Nice one-two started by Iniesta – this pass playprompts Coentrao to try to slide in –but he does so ineffectively • Xavi volleys the ball immediatelyfrom distance with force – leaving the Real defenders at a stance –and causing a deflection  for which Casillas had no chance

Negatives

•  Very loose defending by Madrid as they allow Barcelona to move the ball around following a throw-in deep in their half • Sliding clearance by Coentrao is in fact a pass to Xavi in the
air, who then volleys the ball toward goal (effectively a gift of a turnover) • Marcelo deflects the ball instead of trying to clear it when Xavi volleys – but could this be helped?

1-2 Xavi volleys to give Barca the lead in the 53rd minute of play – Key Lessons

• defenders should try not to make weak clearances that end up being
  in effect passes to the opposition.  Coentrao should have launched
  
  the ball far and wide or towards the sideline – NOT TOWARDS THE MIDDLE where Xavi was waiting!
• any player who picks up the ball in front of the area or net (as Xavi did) should take immediate advantage of turnovers and shoot while the defense is off guard.  If you don't shoot, you can't score – and the more you shoot, the more you score!

1-3 Fabregas heads home Dani Alves' cross to put the nail in the coffin in the 66th minute – Goal Analysis

El Clasico: How Fabregas scored the 3rd goal for Barcelona

Positives

• Barcelona in better physical condition than Real – outruns the opposition up and down the field in the second half especially

• Beautiful combination passing with patience while playing out of the back

• Tight dribbling by Iniesta in order to maintain possession while coming out of his defensive third of the field

• Nice dish pass off to an overlapping Dani Alves by Messi

• Beautiful precision far post cross by Dani Alves  beyond Casillas reach •  Superb run by Fabregasto the far post to beat Coentrao to the header on goal

Negatives

•  Real got tired as we entered the later stages of the match

• Lack of pressure again on Messi and then by Ramos on Alves – essentially allowing Dani Alves to freely cross the ball to the far post

•  Poor marking by Coentrao who lets Fabregas beat him to the header    

Want to get more helpful tips about the game of soccer?  Want more world soccer professional game reviews and video tutorials?  Please click here.