UEFA Technical Observer Giovanni van Bronckhorst analyses the topsy-turvy UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg between Paris and Barcelona.
Barcelona earned their first away win in the UEFA Champions League knockout stage for five years with their 3-2 quarter-final success at Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
In this article brought to you by FedEx, UEFA match observer Giovanni van Bronckhorst assesses how they did it. Working together with the UEFA analysis unit, he reflects on the work of Barcelona forwards Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski and he also explains the impact of the substitutions made by both teams’ coaches as the momentum swung one way then the other in an exciting first-leg encounter in Paris.
Key roles for Raphinha and Lewandowski
For Van Bronckhorst, Raphinha was the game’s decisive player and Lewandowski had a significant role too. In Raphinha’s case it was not just his first two Champions League goals which caught the eye of Van Bronckhorst but his high-speed movement. “Raphinha played really well, making runs from deep behind the defence,” said the former Barcelona player.
This first video shows Raphinha at his elusive best and it also underlines the efforts of Lewandowski in creating space for the Brazilian. As Van Bronckhorst added: “Lewandowski was going away from the number nine position to make space for the runners, especially Raphinha and sometimes [İlkay] Gündogan.”
The first clip features Lewandowski’s role in creating the opening goal as he collects the pass from deep by Pau Cubarsí on halfway, spins away from his marker and works the ball wide to Lamine Yamal. Although Gianluigi Donnarumma is first to Yamal’s ensuing centre, he palms the ball only as far as Raphinha who produces a composed finish.
Home coach Luis Enrique admitted afterwards that Lewandowski had been pivotal in providing a target for passes from deep, so enabling Barcelona to escape the hosts’ press. “We know how you beat high pressure especially with a goalkeeper like [Marc-André] ter Stegen and a striker like Lewandowski using the possibility of playing to the last line.”
The second clip showcases the swiftness of Raphinha as he beats Lucas Hernández in a race down the Barcelona left. Then, in the third clip, we see him work in tandem with Lewandowski, illustrating Van Bronckhorst’s observation about his movement around and beyond the target striker. As the observer affirmed: “Lewandowski with his positioning was making space for other players and you had good movement and runs from Raphinha.” Plus, of course, an end product on a night when Raphinha supplied three key passes as well as his two goals which raised his total in all competitions this season to eight.
