Barcelona versus Real Madrid is a game that the world has always seen as the epitome of club football, and one that Xavi is all too familiar with. Two of the giants of Europe and beyond, go head to head in this fateful encounter. Set to take place at the Montjuic Stadium, the game has stakes that could shape their respective league campaigns.
Scheduled for the 28th of October, Barcelona must still first get through their UEFA Champions League game. It will only be after facing Shakhtar Donetsk that Barça can truly focus on Real Madrid. However, Xavi Hernandez already has a major concern to address before that fateful encounter.
Araujo’s Clasico impact
As highlighted by SPORT, one of the key tactical decisions that Xavi has implemented successfully in previous El Clasicos is putting Ronald Araujo on the right flank of the defense.
Against opponents with strong left-wingers, the Uruguayan almost always comes to the rescue. His defensive solidity and physical superiority are hard to compete against for the tricksters on the wings.
Particularly against Real Madrid and Vinicius Jr, Araujo has been a key component to keep Los Blancos at bay. The dilemma, however, is the utility of Joao Cancelo this time around. The Portuguese star, on loan from Manchester City, has been absolutely fundamental for Xavi’s Barcelona this season.
Cancelo vs Araujo
Primarily, his offensive contributions make the team feel like a much more dynamic outfit. Creating chances, scoring important goals, and providing stability when in possession, Cancelo is a technical genius within the team.
However, his defensive aspect has sometimes been lacking and let the Catalans down. Not necessarily a bad defender, but his advanced positioning often leaves gaps behind.
This has been one of the reasons Barcelona has conceded so much this season. Despite Ter Stegen’s best attempts, they have conceded much more than they did last season. Hence, Xavi now faces the trouble of having to decide between the Uruguayan and Portuguese stars.
While Araujo is primarily a central defender, his adjustment as a right-back is often incredible to see. The Uruguayan does not provide the same offensive depth as Cancelo does, but he does allow for a much more strengthened defense. It will thus be up to Xavi to decide which course of action is worth putting his faith in.
Xavi sticking to his tactics
In a recent press conference, he did mention that he would not be going for absurd tactical changes. Highlighting that he has faith in their way of doing things, he stated:
“It’s not the time for experiments or trying unusual things. It’s time to be practical and showcase our playing style. We’re not going to introduce any major innovations. What we’ve been doing has been working well for us. We need to stick to the path we’re on and not experiment too much.”
Xavi has a few days until El Clasico from now, and he will have to make his final decision by then. Until then, however, another pressing matter is the recovery of the injured stars.
Pedri, Frenkie De Jong, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha all have a chance to make it in time for El Clasico, but the upcoming days will be crucial in determining which of them is actually able to.
