Chameleon Ronald Koeman

Koeman, during the game against Madrid.JAVIER SORIANO / AFP

Barça counted by victories the last six games, all with the 3-4-1-2 that Koeman had managed to account for Sevilla in the League and in the Cup semifinal. But in the seventh game, Madrid was warned by Zidane The panacea was over and the Catalans were shipwrecked in the first half (2-0).

The Dutchman then removed Dest and placed Griezmann to return to the classic 4-3-3.

Nothing new in the coach, who has made a structural change once the game started in 13 of the 45 duels of the course [not counting when he adds a defender or puts three forwards at the end].

The Barça did not remove the tie of Valdebebas by little, and made it clear that it does not matter to him to conform to the rival because it does not prevail with the ball between the feet as it did in the past.

Something that does not disturb Koeman, an alchemist in a time of sporting and economic transition due to his faith in the Barça brand, also in La Masia.

It happens, however, that the coach is not reminded of an author's team because he is a possibility and pragmatic, a coach who adapts his ideas to the circumstances.

That is why he achieved results by changing a generation in the Dutch team and that is why he won a Cup in Valencia with a team on fire.

And that is why on his arrival he denied the 4-3-3 that Cruyff established, Rijkaard paid and Guardiola polished.

"The 4-2-3-1 is the perfect system for this squad and these types of players," Koeman resolved.

But the results did not accompany in the League, no matter how much they put on makeup in Europe.

After 18 games - he also tried the 4-3-3 against Osasuna - he turned the tide because he had only taken 64.8% of the possible points, repeated individual errors and punished the team against solid rivals such as Getafe, Madrid and Sevilla , when the team was lost in the pressure and there were no breaks.

Although he scored the 4-1-4-1 against Valencia, he was convinced that the best thing was to return to 4-3-3 as requested by the team as well as the many homegrown players that rose.

“You don't have to get obsessed with the system, we can use different ones and they can be changed during the game.

We are improving ”, assured Koeman.

And Barça took flight, comfortable with the automatisms on Messi, protagonist in someone else's field with possession as a flag and happy for De Jong's arrival in the area.

The problem occurred in the top games, all lost: against Juve to decide the European group champion;

against Athletic in the final of the Super Cup;

and with Sevilla in the semifinal of the Cup. The team no longer had dynamite or reliability with the ball.

The 4-3-3 stayed in 16 games with 77% of the points.

Interventionist, Koeman retouched the board and applied the 3-4-2-1 during three games, convinced with the defensive solidity but not with the offensive movements, since the wingers were extreme and the wingers, battering rams who played on the inside to limit the passing lines.

Confusion that Koeman paid with the changes of position of De Jong, Pedri, Messi, Griezmann, Braithwaite, Dembélé ...

So he gave the drawing one more twist and settled the 3-4-1-2 with Pedri as the dealer and Messi in the lead with the only requirement to sprint in pressure, freed to move on the attack front.

Barça added six wins until the classic came and left the system with 79.1% of the possible points, the team is strong in the offensive transitions because it can go inside and out — nothing better for Alba and Dest than give them lane - excellent in pressure and remarkable in possession.

In return, he assumes many risks because of the duels to the man and because when the pressure lines exceed him, as in Madrid, the rear runs backwards in inferiority.

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Koeman's trial-error is not such, but with each change of system he has obtained better results, even if he does not give him to prevail in the big games, the team also punished by injuries and the youth of its squad.

Barça has the League and this Saturday the final of the Cup against Athletic.

Koeman may surprise with another drawing.

It is not about improvising but about adapting the campus to the context.

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