Xavi Tactical Analysis | Fixing Barcelona | FM22 tactic

Last seasons Analysis

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Xavi's preferred formation so far has been the 3-4-3 and it's been a really offensive one. Xavi looks to stretch his opponents and uses width to do so by having two wingers high and wide with a striker pinning defences back.

Xavi’s build-up philosophy is possession-based. Al-Sadd, under Xavi, are a side that love to dominate by keeping possession. So far during the 2021-22 Qatar Stars League, Xavi's side kept 62.5% possession on average, a figure well-above the league average.

The key is to create quick one-touch passing sequences to open space, maintain width by stretching the field and creating numerical superiorities. Then when Al Sadd advances higher up the pitch, that width and the same principles of numerical superiorities and one-touch-passing remain.