Ansu Fati or Gavi as a false 9: Xavi’s dilemma ahead of Barcelona vs Girona

Ansu Fati or Gavi as a false 9

In the absence of Robert Lewandowski and Ferrán Torres, Xavi opted to deploy Ansu Fati in the striking position. Scoring twice in his last two games for Barcelona prior to the game against Getafe, the in-form young Spaniard understandably got the chance as the starting center forward.

However, Ansu completely disappeared among the circle of Getafe defenders. His contribution as a striker converged to zero, and when he somehow got the ball, failed to make good use of it. What seemed to be a great chance for him to break into Barcelona XI, turned into a subpar game for the youngster.

On the other hand, when Raphinha left the pitch for Kessié, a positive turn eventuated in his play. As the midfielders pushed high more often, he had more freedom to drift to the wings frequently. He was visibly more comfortable there, which is an obvious indication that his preferred position remains the left side.

Despite the singular setback against Getafe, Ansu Fati remains a player that Xavi must get the most out of so as to not let such a prodigious talent go to waste. He should be tested again as a center-forward against future opponents as well, given that his skillset may not always be favorable against particular opponents such as a Getafe side that insisted on a low-block defensive approach that let Fati have no open spaces to unleash a first touch into.

Yet against an opponent such as the upcoming Girona, one that tends to play a high line and leaves spaces to be exploited when attacking, Fati may find himself a suitable opponent to find his stride against.

In terms of alternatives to Fati, Xavi could also opt to use a false 9 system, where a player like Gavi could slot in as a make-shift central attacker between Raphinha and Dembele as the wingers, akin to how Pep Guardiola utilized Lionel Messi against certain opponents during his Barcelona tenure.

Another option could be to use the talented La Masia youngster Angel Alarcon as the center forward, a position he’s used to. Lastly, Xavi could end up potentially using Raphinha and Dembele as a two-man strike duo up top, however, this possible contingency seems highly unlikely given its potential discrepancies.

The Latest

The contractual situation of Gavi and the implications of the court’s latest verdict

After a series of judicial decisions, La Liga proceeded to annul the registration of the new contract of Gavi as a first-team player of...

Former Barcelona forward willing to return to Camp Nou on lowered salary

FC Barcelona and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang shared a special connection in the latter half of last season. The player enjoyed phenomenal form under the...

Barcelona send scout to observe Four players during Morocco-Brazil friendly

Morocco and Brazil, are set to face off in a friendly match on Saturday night. Despite being a friendly match, this encounter promises to...

Barcelona midfielder’s injury worse than anticipated initially, could miss El Clasico

FC Barcelona and Dutch National Team player Frenkie De Jong was expected to initially be back from his injury before El Clasico. The player's...

Barcelona ex-forward makes a bold claim regarding the club’s training methods

Barcelona ex-winger and Dutch national team player Memphis Depay is currently playing for La Liga side and rivals of the Catalans, Atletico de Madrid....

Barcelona president assures that Messi “has the doors open”

Ever since Lionel Messi left FC Barcelona, the relationship between the legendary player and the club seems to be broken. However, this relationship finally...

Barcelona youngster sees transfer value take a drastic hit

FC Barcelona youngster Ansu Fati has not had the best or most memorable of seasons. The once highly recognized and appraised youngster now sees...

Barcelona receive massive injury boost ahead of Elche clash

Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo had to be left out of international duty with the Uruguayan national team for their ongoing friendlies against Japan and...

Barcelona defender now amongst the highest valued in the world

FC Barcelona and Uruguayan central defender Ronald Araujo has recently just received an update on Transfermarkt regarding his current market value. The immense defender...