Xavi Miguel of Diario AS, who is close to Xavi, reports that the Barcelona coach will switch to a formation with three centre-backs this season.
The plan is to use Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen as the starting centre-backs in a 3-4-3 formation. However, the AS journalist does not specify what the rest of the team will look like.
Here are some of the possible options.
Regular 3-4-3
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen – Kounde, Araujo, Christensen – Raphinha, Kessie, Pedri, Alba – Dembele, Lewandowski, Ansu Fati.
This is probably the most common 3-4-3 formation out there, and might be the one Xavi goes for since it is the safest of the options.
The 3-4-3 could transform into a 4-4-2 in the defensive phase, with Alba dropping down, Kounde moving to the right-back position, and Dembele turning into the a forward.
The only question would be whether Pedri and Kessie (or any other midfielder) would be enough to guarantee the possession Xavi will demand from the team.
Xavi’s favourite
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen – Kounde, Araujo, Christensen – De Jong, Busquets – Gavi, Pedri – Dembele, Lewandowski, Ansu Fati.
During his time in Qatar, Xavi used this formation. It looks extravagant, but there’s nothing new about it, actually. The W-M formation was very popular in the middle of the 20th century, and our coach is trying to bring it back.
This would allow the team to have more possession thanks to the presence of four midfielders on the pitch. And with Pedri and Gavi playing in the half-spaces upfront, Raphinha and Ansu Fati would have the option to stay wide at all time – exactly what Xavi wants from his wingers.