Predictably, after Barcelona’s 7-0 2013 Champions League semifinal defeat to Bayern Munich, when they were physically overpowered by a compact and organized 4-4-2 press, many of their future opponents adopted Bayern’s tactics in an attempt to nullify the attacking strengths and exploit the defensive frailties of the Catalan giants. It is then no surprise that Barcelona would transition to a back-3 to counteract the advantages their opposition obtained from mimicking the formation that dominated them. Playing a back-3 provides Barcelona an extra defender and free player to bring the ball out … [Read more...]