The shared adventure of Antoine Griezmann and Ernesto Valverde ended where it started: on the left wing of the Catalan attack. For his last match – the one that sealed his ouster on Monday – the neo-ex coach had again exiled the French international on this side during the semifinal of the Spanish Super Cup against Atlético de Madrid (3-2). In the name of the balance of his 4-3-3 and the untouchables Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi. Since last Thursday, things have changed for two reasons.
Setien loves leaders
The injury of Luis Suarez (absent four months) will force Barça to review its plans with a “Grizou” certainly refocused. Mostly, the appointment of Quique Setien can redistribute cards tactically. On paper, the coach presents a tactical approach that has everything to please the French international. At Betis last season, the technician never changed his formula to 3-4-2-1 with two leaders behind a striker. This is how the Argentinian Giovani Lo Celso went from top performances to the point of being recruited by Tottenham last summer.
Follower of Cruyff, not at all of Simeone
With two leaders supporting an attacker, Griezmann would legitimately apply for a more axial role in which he excels (unless he is aligned in a point). He would return to his position in the France team, ideal before Euro 2020. Setien, in love with the beautiful game, adapts to the forces involved. Before Betis, he had already impressed football Spain with Las Palmas in a different scheme (4-1-4-1, 4-2-3-1 or 5-3-2) but with the idea of a player at the heart of the game. He arrives at Barça where 4-3-3 is an almost untouchable system. Not really a concern for him, able to adapt but above all a big fan of Johan Cruyff, revolutionary in the Catalan possession game.
“It was when I saw Barça de Cruyff play that I started to understand how things really worked, he confided to Marca in 2018. I learned a lot from them.” The 61-year-old technician his approach on the conservation of the ball, less on the monotonous pragmatism of Valverde. “My game model can be set up in any team,” he confided to Marca in May 2018. Each footballer who understands space, time, positions, can then be a better footballer because he will receive the ball alone, he will have time to better combine or shoot. ”
Little fan of the Atlético method in which Griezmann still shone last season in total devotion to the collective (“I don’t go to the cinema to see a horror film”, he had confided to ESPN in 2017 about his lack of attraction for the style advocated by Diego Simeone), Setien also likes players with developed game intelligence. That of Griezmann is no longer to demonstrate and the French can rejoice. Many of them are already congratulating themselves on the side of Barcelona.
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