So, how did some teams managed to put Barcelona's offside trap in trouble ? - Using the space wide - Switching play to get around Barça's compact shape - Pushing the fullbacks deep - Using runs from deeper positions https://x.com/Victorvid2/statu...
Barça's idea is to make the pitch as small as possible. That's the same goal for other teams too, but they push it to the extreme with this very high line, a compact back four and a very narrow double-pivot. This lets space and possibilities outwide to progress and unsettle them
Even tho Barcelona had a great game and result against Madrid, they have flaw. Even tho they caught Mbappé offside 8 times, their offside trap can be beaten. The team that clearly had the most ideas to beat this offside trap and extremely compact shape was Bayern.
- often no one between Cubarsi-Martinez so they don't have a reference to draw the line - Switches of play - channel running to expose the compactness of Barça's cbs/double-pivot - Kane as a ghost, sometimes passively offside, sometimes running from deep https://x.com/Victorvid2/statu...
Now Bayern's goal : - switch of play vs Barça's isolated fullback - Barça's line collapses deeper and struggles to draw the line (channel run could've been fed) - Kane willingly offside - another switch the possibility to close down for Koundé https://x.com/Victorvid2/statu...
Madrid couldn't expose them because Mbappé was making straight forward runs (remember Kane, blinside of Cubarsi and Martinez, bending his run to stay onside) between Cubarsi and Martinez or in their sight so they could easily track his movement and draw the line.
You can't expect anything with these runs, even against a weaker opposition he would've been caught offside. Look at his offside goal. Madrid switches, Baldé has to drop to close the receiver down, Barça's line collapses deeper and is kind of unsettled... https://x.com/Victorvid2/statu...
Then Mbappé makes a straight run between Cubarsi and Martinez. Cubarsi sees it and just holds his stride a little bit. Offside.