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Does Barcelona’s defeat to Atletico spell the end for tiki-taka?

By Unknown - Friday, 11 April 2014 No Comments


It is hard to deny that defending champions Spain will go into the Brazil World Cup in June as one of the favourites. But their 'tiki-taka' style of football will not seem even remotely as threatening as it once did. As Barcelona trudged off the field -- downcast and well beaten by a tactically superior Atletico Madrid, the overwhelming feeling was they need a change of tactics. And if Barcelona need a change of tactics then so do Spain because of the personnel and the playing style that the teams share. For the first time since 2007, there will be no Barcelona in the Champions League semifinal draw. It has been a long glorious run but the end was inevitable. However, this wasn't like the defeat against Chelsea in 2012 -- where the Blues soaked the pressure despite being reduced to 10 men in the 37th minute of their semi-final -- or the loss against Bayern in 2013 -- where Barca were without Messi. Has Barcelona's tiki-taka run into a wall? AP Has Barcelona's tiki-taka run into a wall? AP This was Atletico chasing the ball down and not giving Barcelona a moment's respite. Barca's possesion was 64 percent but they got almost nothing going near Atletico's goal. Diego Simeone's side were alert the threat and quick to snuff out the few chances that Barcelona got. Bayern, in 2013, had been content to let Barca roll the ball around in their own half. Chelsea had sat deep and defended with great discipline. Atletico were a different breed of persistent though. Barcelona's tiki-taka has been so successful simply because the players are in constant motion -- finding gaps and spaces in the opposition formation. It was because of these gaps that Barca could string together pass after pass with great accuracy and the opposition would be left chasing shadows. But Atletico worked hard to ensure that the gaps very rarely appeared and when they did they were closed down with a rapidity that opposition coaches will have noticed. Last week's 1-1 draw was the fourth time Atletico and Barca had battled to a draw. And last night's win shows that if nothing else they have figured out a way to at least stop Messi and Co consistently. The template that emerges seems to be startlingly simple: Hit them hard in the early going, swamp them (get a goal if possible) and then sit back and wait for an opportunity to counter. Bayern did it last season and Atletico have done the same (1 goal and they hit the post thrice in the first 20 minutes). Expect all countries that run into Spain at the World Cup to try and do the same as well. As you get more desperate -- tiki-taka becomes more dangerous. The trick is to get a leg-up in the early going and that is what Atletico successfully managed to do. The idea of passing your way to victory seems to have run it's course for the moment. It took the world some time to get around it and there was the case of Messi playing at his absolute best too. But now it seems like the Nou Camp needs some new tactics. Players like Neymar can bring a lot more to this team if can actually be allowed to play with some more of his natural Brazilian flair. But the Barcelona system doesn't quite allow him to do that. Everyone has been simply expected to fit into the system but perhaps it is time the system adapted to the changing times too.


t is hard to deny that defending champions Spain will go into the Brazil World Cup in June as one of the favourites. But their 'tiki-taka' style of football will not seem even remotely as threatening as it once did. As Barcelona trudged off the field -- downcast and well beaten by a tactically superior Atletico Madrid, the overwhelming feeling was they need a change of tactics. And if Barcelona need a change of tactics then so do Spain because of the personnel and the playing style that the teams share. For the first time since 2007, there will be no Barcelona in the Champions League semifinal draw. It has been a long glorious run but the end was inevitable. However, this wasn't like the defeat against Chelsea in 2012 -- where the Blues soaked the pressure despite being reduced to 10 men in the 37th minute of their semi-final -- or the loss against Bayern in 2013 -- where Barca were without Messi. Has Barcelona's tiki-taka run into a wall? AP Has Barcelona's tiki-taka run into a wall? AP This was Atletico chasing the ball down and not giving Barcelona a moment's respite. Barca's possesion was 64 percent but they got almost nothing going near Atletico's goal. Diego Simeone's side were alert the threat and quick to snuff out the few chances that Barcelona got. Bayern, in 2013, had been content to let Barca roll the ball around in their own half. Chelsea had sat deep and defended with great discipline. Atletico were a different breed of persistent though. Barcelona's tiki-taka has been so successful simply because the players are in constant motion -- finding gaps and spaces in the opposition formation. It was because of these gaps that Barca could string together pass after pass with great accuracy and the opposition would be left chasing shadows. But Atletico worked hard to ensure that the gaps very rarely appeared and when they did they were closed down with a rapidity that opposition coaches will have noticed. Last week's 1-1 draw was the fourth time Atletico and Barca had battled to a draw. And last night's win shows that if nothing else they have figured out a way to at least stop Messi and Co consistently. The template that emerges seems to be startlingly simple: Hit them hard in the early going, swamp them (get a goal if possible) and then sit back and wait for an opportunity to counter. Bayern did it last season and Atletico have done the same (1 goal and they hit the post thrice in the first 20 minutes). Expect all countries that run into Spain at the World Cup to try and do the same as well. As you get more desperate -- tiki-taka becomes more dangerous. The trick is to get a leg-up in the early going and that is what Atletico successfully managed to do. The idea of passing your way to victory seems to have run it's course for the moment. It took the world some time to get around it and there was the case of Messi playing at his absolute best too. But now it seems like the Nou Camp needs some new tactics. Players like Neymar can bring a lot more to this team if can actually be allowed to play with some more of his natural Brazilian flair. But the Barcelona system doesn't quite allow him to do that. Everyone has been simply expected to fit into the system but perhaps it is time the system adapted to the changing times too.

Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/sports/does-barcelonas-defeat-to-atletico-spell-the-end-for-tiki-taka-1473817.html?utm_source=fpstory_cat

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