A rotated FC Barcelona side wins the ball high, scores from its regains and lets Gordon finish the job off the bench: 5–0 on opening night.
The numbers
| FC Barcelona | Elche CF | |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 54% | 46% |
| Shots | 11 | 7 |
| On target | 7 | 2 |
| xG | 4.38 | 0.7 |
| Big chances | 9 | 3 |
| Touches in opp. box | 21 | 18 |
Result the chances deserved: FC Barcelona 93% / 5% / Elche CF 2% (Poisson).
Starting line-ups
FC Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Joan García, Eric García, Christensen, Gerard Martín, Espart, Bernal, Gavi, Yamal, Fermín, Adeyemi, Raphinha.
Elche CF (3-5-2): Dituro, Affengruber, Redondo, Chust, Sangaré, Morente, Villar, Aguado, Valera, Houary, Fer Niño.
Elche subs: Buonanotte, Martim Neto & Cepeda (64', Houary, Aguado & Morente), Ponce (69', Fer Niño), Bigas (81', Redondo).
Barça's first league game of the season: Matchday 1 against Athletic Club was played four days later. Line-ups, minutes, xG, possession and shots: FotMob. Shots on target and big chances: Sofascore. Elche's shape: FotMob lists a 3-5-2, Sofascore a 5-4-1. Minutes differ between sources: Adeyemi's goal is 45+3' on FotMob, 45+1' on Sofascore and beIN; beIN also lists Raphinha's second and Fermín's first at 56' and 60', which cannot fit Gordon's 65' introduction, so FotMob's 67' and 71' are used.
Key moments, move by move
- Espart presses from left-back and gets a foot to an Elche CF pass.
- Fermín picks up the loose ball and plays Raphinha in straight away.
- Raphinha dribbles into the box and Chust pulls him back: penalty.
- Raphinha sends Dituro the wrong way, low into the corner.
- Bernal wins the ball in midfield.
- Bernal and Yamal combine quickly towards the edge of the box.
- Raphinha receives there and slips the ball left to Adeyemi.
- Adeyemi hits it low from just inside the box into the far corner.
- Gordon and Olmo play a one-two on the left wing.
- Gordon gets to the edge of the box and crosses low.
- Raphinha meets it and finishes into the bottom right corner.
- Pedri plays a through ball in behind for Gordon.
- Gordon gets into the box and, instead of shooting, squares it to Fermín.
- Fermín taps in from close range.
- Espart finds Fermín in the box with his back to goal.
- Fermín spins away from his marker in one movement.
- He finishes calmly from close range.
Win it high, go fast: how a rotated FC Barcelona broke Elche CF
- Goals from regains. The first two goals started with FC Barcelona winning the ball in Elche CF's half: Espart's press on the left for the penalty (fcbarcelona.com) and Bernal's tackle in midfield for Adeyemi's goal (Yahoo/Football España). Yahoo described the plan as "quick, direct attacking football and pressing high up the pitch to win the ball high".
- Few shots, all good ones. FC Barcelona had only 11 shots and 54% of the ball, low numbers for a Flick side, but 4.38 xG (FotMob) and 9 big chances (Sofascore). They attacked quickly once they had it and hardly ever shot from distance.
- Gordon from the bench. Elche CF held the gap at 2–0 until Gordon came on at 65'. He set up Raphinha two minutes later and Fermín four minutes after that, both from the left side where he and Olmo combined.
- Elche CF's side of it: a 3-5-2 (5-4-1 without the ball) that kept more of the ball than most teams do against FC Barcelona (46%) but only created 0.70 xG. Their best moments were an Affengruber header from a corner and a Morente shot just wide (VAVEL); Joan García didn't have to make a save.
Recreate it in FM26
FC Barcelona · Flick's rotated 4-2-3-1: win it high, attack fast · 4-2-3-1Show cardHide card
Flick's rotated 4-2-3-1: win it high, attack fast
| Pos | Player | In Possession | Out of Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Joan García | Sweeper Keeper | Sweeper Keeper |
| RB | Eric García | Inside Full-Back | Holding Full-Back |
| RCB | Christensen | Ball-Playing Centre-Back | Covering Centre-Back |
| LCB | Gerard Martín | Centre-Back | Stopping Centre-Back |
| LB | Espart | Inverted Full-Back | Pressing Full-Back |
| RDM | Bernal | Defensive Midfielder | Pressing Defensive Midfielder |
| LDM | Gavi | Box-to-Box Midfielder | Pressing Defensive Midfielder |
| RW | Yamal | Inside Forward | Inside Outlet Winger |
| AM | Fermín | Attacking Midfielder | Tracking Attacking Midfielder |
| LW | Adeyemi | Wide Forward | Wide Outlet Winger |
| ST | Raphinha | Channel Forward | Tracking Centre Forward |
Team instructions
In Possession
- Passing DirectnessBalanced
- TempoHigher
- Attacking TransitionCounter-Attack
- PatienceWork Ball Into Box
Out of Possession
- Line of EngagementHigh Press
- Trigger PressMore Often
- TacklingAggressive
The idea: The first two goals came from the left-back and the holding midfielder winning the ball in Elche CF's half, so both need pace and good anticipation. Once the ball is won, attack immediately with a centre-forward who runs the channels like Raphinha.
What FM26 can't copy: FM26 can't reproduce Gordon's impact off the bench or the rotation Flick used here.
Our reading of this match in FM26 terms, not an exported tactic file. Role names as in FM26.
What if? Replay it with a different plan
Our best alternative plan: Patient possession, Gordon on at 46' (for Adeyemi). Keep the high press that won the ball for the first two goals but keep the ball longer once FC Barcelona have it, as Flick wanted, and bring Gordon on at half-time rather than after an hour. It moves FC Barcelona's win chance from 93% to 95% (xG 4.38–0.70 becomes 4.58–0.55). Try your own changes to formation, pressing, approach and substitutions.
The game-changer FC Barcelona needed
Pedri
Flick's post-match worry was turnovers and control. Pedri is the squad's best player for keeping the ball under pressure. Starting him beside Bernal would probably have meant fewer cheap losses and fewer of the moments that gave Elche CF their three big chances, at no cost to the press.
Martín Zubimendi
FC Barcelona won this game with regains and fast attacks, but kept only 54% of the ball against a side that finished the night with three big chances. Zubimendi is a calm single pivot who keeps possession under pressure and positions himself to stop counter-attacks before they start, the two things Flick said he was worried about.
What the analysts said
“We're delighted with the fantastic start we've made; it gives us confidence.”Hansi Flick (Barca Universal)
“I was concerned about turnovers. We had to control the ball.”Hansi Flick (Barca Universal)
“For me, Rafa is a player who sets a good example of intensity. When he does that, the rest follow him.”Hansi Flick on Raphinha (Barca Universal)
“If we start playing at the maximum level, we're likely to win. It was a very tough game, but we did our job.”Raphinha (Al Jazeera)
“Yes, it's in the knee. We have to wait.”Hansi Flick on Gavi (Yahoo Sports)
Barcelona didn't need much of the ball to be ruthless.
What's happening. A rotated Barcelona won 5–0 at Elche on opening night with only 54% of the ball and 11 shots. Gordon came off the bench and set up two goals in four minutes.
How it works. The first goals came from winning the ball high: Espart pressed and diverted a pass, and Bernal won it in midfield before a three-pass move. When a team wins the ball in the opponent's half, the defence is not set and the chance is usually a good one. Barcelona went straight at Elche's back line every time.
What the shots say. Replaying every shot, Barcelona win more than nine times in ten. Almost every shot was a good one: five goals from seven big chances. Elche also had three big chances and scored none, which made the scoreline wider than the game.