This Sunday's Classico comes at the worst time for FC Barcelona. Or at best, it depends. Because opposite, there will be a Kylian Mbappé in a state of grace, author of a stratospheric start to the season with Real Madrid. A goal machine which, historically, has always wreaked havoc against the Catalan defense. Faced with such a threat, Barça cannot afford to improvise. Behind the scenes, coach Hansi Flick and his staff are refining a battle plan, a specific strategy aimed at muzzling the French striker.
A secret weapon called the “offside trap”
This special plan is not a total secret. It is based on a tactic that Barça has mastered to perfection since the arrival of Hansi Flick: the offside trap. The strategy is audacious: a defensive line positioned very high on the pitch to cut off Mbappé's deep runs. This method has already proven itself in the past. During a previous Classico, she caused eight offsides for the only French striker. The young defender Pau Cubarsí also confirmed it half-heartedly: “We will have to stop it as best as possible. »
Mbappé, the absolute black beast of Barça
If Barça is preparing such a plan, it is because the figures are terrifying. In just eight confrontations against the Blaugranas, whether with PSG or Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappé has scored a whopping 11 goals. An exceptional ratio of 1.37 goals per match which makes him the absolute beast of the Catalan club. From his legendary hat-trick at the Camp Nou with Paris to his other hat-trick with Real last season, he has always found a way to shine, even in defeat.
The Classico, a duel between the speed of Mbappé and the trap of Flick
A record start to the season that makes you dizzy
And the threat is all the greater as the Mbappé at the start of the season is perhaps the strongest of his career. With 10 goals in 9 La Liga days, he made the best start by a Real Madrid player since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2014. Decisive, clinical, he seems to have found fulfillment in Xabi Alonso's system. Barça is not only facing a great player, but an athlete at the top of his game, full of confidence.
A tactical duel that will decide the match
This Sunday, the Classico will therefore be played largely on this distance duel. On one side, the dazzling speed of Kylian Mbappé, capable of taking on any speed defense. On the other, Hansi Flick's tactical trap, taking maximum risks to cut off the opponent's main weapon. The success of this anti-Mbappé plan will be the key to the match for Barça. If he fails, it could be a very long evening for the Catalans.
