Each line is generated from a finding that cleared its evidence bar; nothing here is a generic coaching point. The grey line says what it rests on; the button opens the sequences.
Go long early, past their first line, and compete for the second ball.
Opponents who went long most (44% of build-ups) got out of their press 45% of the time; those who mostly played short (26% long) got out 36% (p=0.0473).
In your own build-up area, play on one or two touches: don't try to dribble past their press, and keep first touches clean.
41% of their high regains come straight after the opponent tries to dribble past someone or takes a bad touch (league median 28%); only 18% come from forward passes.
Copy the sides that escaped it: Alaves got out 70% (long on 80%).
Average escape rate against them is 41%.
When you win it, go down their left side immediately.
52% of the xG they concede after losing the ball comes down their left side (109 attacks, 21 shots), against 34% of their own attacking xG through that channel.
Press their build-up in the left of their own third.
Giveaways there lead to a shot 13% of the time (38 giveaways).
Their most dangerous route: Lamine Yamal getting into the box with a carry from the right half-space. Double up on him there and show him away from goal.
57 times in the window, 60% end in a shot vs 44% for their other routes.
Stay narrow and protect the half-spaces; you can concede crosses.
Only 5% of their box entries are crosses (2nd lowest of 20 in La Liga (league median 11%)); 62% come from the half-spaces.
If they go ahead, expect more direct play: win the second balls rather than press their first line.
When leading their long-ball build-up exits rise to 23% (from 15% when level).
Avoid conceding corners; mark Eric García first.
28% of their corners end in a shot; first contacts: Eric García (8), Robert Lewandowski (5), Ferran Torres (5).
Where each player takes the ball in each phase of their possession, and who passes to whom. Event data has no off-ball positions, so this is the shape of their touches — the standard event-data proxy. A phase is defined by where the ball is, so the dots sit inside that phase's third (shaded): read the order and the width, not the depth of each line. Barcelona attack left to right.
attacking → · shaded = the build-up zone
1057 build-up phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
attacking → · shaded = the progression zone
1722 progression phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
attacking → · shaded = the final third zone
1198 final third phases. Dot = the median spot of a player's touches in this phase; size = share of touches; lines = consecutive touches between two players.
Tackles, interceptions, recoveries, blocks, challenges and fouls in the opponent's final 40%.
439 in the window. The press on a build-up = the first two rows: 76 (3.8 a match).
| source | times | share | per match | shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| press: settled build-up taken off them | 72 | 16% | 3.6 | 8% | |
| press: their restart forced into an error before they settled | 4 | 1% | 0.2 | 25% | |
| counter-press: won straight back after losing it | 37 | 8% | 1.9 | 0% | |
| second ball: the opponent touched it but never controlled it | 326 | 74% | 16.3 | 29% | |
| ↳ rebound after their own shot (saved or blocked) | 51 | 12% | 2.5 | 39% | |
| ↳ their cross / ball into the box, cleared | 143 | 33% | 7.2 | 31% | |
| ↳ their long ball, only headed or touched away | 14 | 3% | 0.7 | 21% | |
| ↳ after their own throw-in / set piece | 33 | 8% | 1.6 | 15% | |
| ↳ loose ball in their combination play (pass blocked or tackled) | 85 | 19% | 4.2 | 25% |
| opponent was | share | league | rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dribbling or a loose touch | 41% | 28% | 1 / 20 | |
| passing forward | 18% | 26% | 20 / 20 | |
| passing to a full-back | 11% | 14% | 18 / 20 | |
| passing sideways | 8% | 7% | 7 / 20 | |
| going long | 7% | 9% | 18 / 20 | |
| passing to the keeper | 3% | 2% | 5 / 20 | |
| taking a throw-in | 2% | 2% | 16 / 20 | |
| passing back | 1% | 1% | 12 / 20 | |
| a loose ball | 0% | 0% | 1 / 20 |
The opponents who went long most (44% of build-ups) got out 45% of the time; those who mostly played short (26% long) got out 36%. That is a real difference (p=0.0473).
Best escapes: Alaves 70%; Elche 55%; Levante 50%. One dot per match; hover for the opponent.
Most often started by Pedri (27), Fermín López (25), Lamine Yamal (20), Raphinha (19).
| lost in | losses | won back within 5s | led to a shot |
|---|---|---|---|
| own third | 94 | 36% | 10% |
| midfield | 341 | 30% | 4% |
| final third | 708 | 25% | 1% |
12.6 opponent attacks per match after winning the ball in open play that broke forward fast or reached the final third. Shading and % = share of the xG they produced, by the channel they used. Barcelona's goal is on the left. Central attacks carry more xG for every team, so compare with Barcelona's own attacking xG in the same kind of channel (centre, or the average flank): left 52% conceded vs 34% own, right 24% conceded vs 34% own, centre 23% conceded vs 33% own.
Every real turnover, named by the situation it came from. "Fast" = the side with the ball reached the final third within 10 seconds. Only real turnovers appear here: for everything the press wins high, including restarts it forced into an error, see "Every ball won in the opponent’s third" in the press section.
| type | times | share | fast | shot | xG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won high from a settled build-up (press) | 71 | 6%lg 4% | 52% | 7%lg 9% | 0.5 | |
| Won after their long possession (10+ passes) | 65 | 5%lg 11% | 25% | 6%lg 3% | 0.3 | |
| Won straight back after losing it (counter-press) | 189 | 15%lg 12% | 34% | 6%lg 6% | 1.7 | |
| Won by stopping their counter | 56 | 5%lg 4% | 12% | 4%lg 4% | 0.2 | |
| Won in midfield | 376 | 30%lg 24% | 33% | 9%lg 6% | 4.0 | |
| Won deep in own third | 436 | 35%lg 39% | 18% | 6%lg 3% | 3.0 | |
| Won from their set piece | 45 | 4%lg 5% | 20% | 11%lg 3% | 1.3 |
| type | times | share | opponent fast | shot against | xG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost in own build-up under pressure | 85 | 6%lg 5% | 46% | 9%lg 10% | 0.8 | |
| Lost after own long possession (10+ passes) | 307 | 23%lg 8% | 12% | 4%lg 3% | 1.6 | |
| Lost straight after winning it | 130 | 10%lg 13% | 25% | 4%lg 7% | 0.8 | |
| Lost during own counter | 42 | 3%lg 4% | 2% | 0%lg 4% | 0.0 | |
| Lost in midfield | 248 | 18%lg 26% | 28% | 4%lg 6% | 0.8 | |
| Lost in the final third (attack broke down) | 445 | 33%lg 39% | 10% | 3%lg 3% | 1.3 | |
| Lost from own set piece | 107 | 8%lg 5% | 14% | 3%lg 3% | 0.5 |
Every controlled possession is typed by how it was played, and every real turnover (a possession that was established and then lost) by what the losing side was doing, how it lost the ball and what the winner did next. "Settled" = sustained or worked possessions; "unsettled" = short, second-ball, counter and direct possessions.
| type | times | share | ended in a shot | avg passes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 438 | 26%lg 9% | 15%lg 12% | 15.8 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 535 | 31%lg 26% | 13%lg 9% | 6.1 | |
| direct attack | 110 | 6%lg 13% | 5%lg 3% | 1.8 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 227 | 13%lg 23% | 5% | 1.5 |
| the side losing it was in… | times | fast attack | secured | lost straight back | can’t keep it | shot | xG | how it was lost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 314 | 13% | 13% | 10% | 48% | 5% | 1.7 | pass cut out 194, bad touch 41 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 392 | 17% | 12% | 10% | 53% | 4% | 1.4 | pass cut out 241, long ball lost 50 | |
| direct attack | 87 | 21% | 16% | 10% | 40% | 3% | 0.4 | long ball lost 34, pass cut out 32 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 193 | 32% | 7% | 7% | 48% | 6% | 1.5 | pass cut out 89, bad touch 44 | |
| second-ball possession | 196 | 16% | 13% | 9% | 54% | 3% | 0.3 | pass cut out 103, long ball lost 34 | |
| counter / fast transition | 75 | 5% | 15% | 8% | 64% | 0% | 0.0 | pass cut out 42, bad touch 13 | |
| set piece | 107 | 14% | 12% | 9% | 50% | 3% | 0.5 | pass cut out 63, long ball lost 15 |
| mechanism | times | share | led to a shot against | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pass cut out | 764 | 56%lg 50% | 3% | |
| bad touch | 197 | 14%lg 14% | 7% | |
| long ball lost | 189 | 14%lg 23% | 2% | |
| failed dribble | 122 | 9%lg 6% | 2% | |
| tackled / dispossessed | 82 | 6%lg 6% | 4% | |
| error | 6 | 0% | 100% |
| the opponent was in… | times | fast attack | secured | lost straight back | can’t keep it | shot | xG | how it was lost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 70 | 26% | 17% | 4% | 49% | 6% | 0.3 | pass cut out 39, long ball lost 13 | |
| worked possession (4-9 passes) | 221 | 30% | 14% | 7% | 45% | 8% | 1.8 | pass cut out 96, long ball lost 60 | |
| direct attack | 238 | 30% | 15% | 5% | 42% | 7% | 1.9 | long ball lost 117, pass cut out 86 | |
| short possession (0-3 passes) | 369 | 28% | 12% | 7% | 47% | 7% | 3.1 | pass cut out 158, long ball lost 83 | |
| second-ball possession | 216 | 25% | 17% | 6% | 46% | 7% | 2.4 | pass cut out 114, long ball lost 46 | |
| counter / fast transition | 79 | 13% | 19% | 9% | 51% | 3% | 0.2 | pass cut out 48, failed dribble 13 | |
| set piece | 45 | 20% | 16% | 2% | 56% | 11% | 1.3 | pass cut out 24, bad touch 10 |
Fast attack = their final third or box reached within 10s. Secured = kept 10s+ or 4+ passes. Lost straight back = controlled, then lost within 5s. Can’t keep it = won the ball but never got it under control (cleared it, headed it away, blocked it or lost it at once).
Each phase split into the situations it is made of, every row with its league median and clips. Shots are their own category: a possession that ends in a shot has finished, it has not lost the ball.
| type | times | share | got out | reached the box | lost in build-up | shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| from the keeper / goal kick, played out short | 118 | 21%lg 17% | 81% | 25% | 17% | 9% | |
| from the keeper / goal kick, went long (bypass) | 39 | 7%lg 12% | 38% | 15% | 54% | 5% | |
| from the keeper / goal kick, stuck / recycled | 42 | 8% | 0% | 5% | 43% | 2% | |
| from the back line, played out short | 72 | 13%lg 9% | 78% | 32% | 18% | 8% | |
| from the back line, went long (bypass) | 13 | 2%lg 5% | 31% | 23% | 69% | 8% | |
| from the back line, stuck / recycled | 36 | 7% | 0% | 6% | 44% | 6% | |
| from a throw-in, played out short | 48 | 9%lg 5% | 79% | 23% | 17% | 10% | |
| from a throw-in, went long (bypass) | 8 | 1%lg 3% | 38% | 12% | 50% | 0% | |
| from a throw-in, stuck / recycled | 15 | 3% | 0% | 27% | 27% | 13% | |
| straight after winning it, played out short | 99 | 18%lg 18% | 80% | 20% | 14% | 9% | |
| straight after winning it, went long (bypass) | 26 | 5%lg 10% | 46% | 23% | 46% | 4% | |
| straight after winning it, stuck / recycled | 33 | 6% | 0% | 9% | 45% | 6% |
| outcome | times | share | opponent shot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| won it high | 50 | 13%lg 10% | 0% | |
| forced long, then won it back | 102 | 27%lg 24% | 0% | |
| forced long, they kept it | 32 | 8%lg 6% | 9% | |
| they played through short | 103 | 27%lg 36% | 8% | |
| kept them stuck (recycled back) | 96 | 25%lg 25% | 5% |
Won high = the ball won in the opponent's own third. Forced long = the opponent left its third with a long ball (then either lost it in that possession, or kept it).
| created by | shots | share of open play | xG | xG per shot | goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cross | 29 | 12%lg 14% | 3.3 | 0.11lg 0.12 | 2 | |
| cutback | 21 | 8%lg 7% | 2.4 | 0.12lg 0.11 | 2 | |
| through ball | 24 | 10%lg 3% | 6.2 | 0.26lg 0.21 | 9 | |
| short pass / combination | 128 | 51%lg 49% | 10.6 | 0.08lg 0.08 | 11 | |
| long ball | 11 | 4%lg 4% | 1.2 | 0.11lg 0.08 | 1 | |
| individual (dribble / self-made) | 15 | 6%lg 10% | 2.2 | 0.15lg 0.08 | 6 | |
| rebound / second ball | 21 | 8%lg 11% | 3.6 | 0.17lg 0.11 | 2 | |
| corner (set piece) | 51 | – | 4.3 | 0.09 | 6 | |
| free kick (indirect) (set piece) | 14 | – | 1.3 | 0.09 | 0 | |
| direct free kick (set piece) | 15 | – | 0.4 | 0.02 | 2 | |
| throw-in (set piece) | 1 | – | 0.1 | 0.06 | 0 | |
| penalty (set piece) | 4 | – | 3.2 | 0.79 | 3 |
| created by | shots | share | xG | xG per shot | goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cross | 24 | 19%lg 13% | 3.3 | 0.14 | 4 | |
| cutback | 7 | 6%lg 7% | 0.9 | 0.13 | 0 | |
| through ball | 13 | 10%lg 4% | 2.7 | 0.21 | 2 | |
| short pass / combination | 47 | 37%lg 51% | 5.6 | 0.12 | 3 | |
| long ball | 12 | 9%lg 4% | 0.9 | 0.07 | 0 | |
| individual (dribble / self-made) | 12 | 9%lg 11% | 1.1 | 0.09 | 1 | |
| rebound / second ball | 12 | 9%lg 10% | 1.0 | 0.08 | 2 | |
| corner (set piece) | 27 | – | 2.1 | 0.08 | 2 | |
| free kick (indirect) (set piece) | 11 | – | 0.6 | 0.06 | 0 | |
| direct free kick (set piece) | 5 | – | 0.1 | 0.02 | 0 | |
| throw-in (set piece) | 8 | – | 0.7 | 0.08 | 1 | |
| penalty (set piece) | 1 | – | 0.8 | 0.79 | 1 |
| ending | shots | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| goal | 41 | 12%lg 9% | |
| keeper held it | 31 | 9%lg 12% | |
| keeper parried it | 44 | 13%lg 13% | |
| blocked | 85 | 26%lg 28% | |
| off target | 122 | 37%lg 39% | |
| hit the woodwork | 7 | 2% |
Penalties excluded. A "save" by an outfield player is a block.
After their keeper held a shot (26), median release 8s; league share turned into a fast attack 13%:
| their keeper held it, then… | times | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| keeper released fast -> fast attack | 5 | 19% | |
| keeper released quickly, no fast attack | 6 | 23% | |
| keeper slowed the game | 15 | 58% |
After their own shot was held by the opponent keeper (31); league share broken against fast 15%:
| the opponent keeper held it, then… | times | share | |
|---|---|---|---|
| keeper released fast -> fast attack | 4 | 13% | |
| keeper released quickly, no fast attack | 5 | 16% | |
| keeper slowed the game | 22 | 71% |
Fast = the keeper's side reached its final third within 15s of the save. Quick = first pass within 6s.
The other half of each phase above. Their own phases break down when they lose the ball (real turnovers only); their press and block break down when the opponent gets through. Each card: how often, how, where, who is involved, and what it costs them.
236 balls lost in 1057 build-up phases (22%)
giveaways per 10 build-up phases: 1.9/10 · league 2.7/10
What it costs: 34% turned into a fast attack · 47% the opponent can’t keep · 4% led to a shot · 0.9 xG
495 balls lost in 1722 middle-third phases (29%)
giveaways per 10 middle-third phases: 2.4/10 · league 3.0/10
What it costs: 21% turned into a fast attack · 43% the opponent can’t keep · 5% led to a shot · 2.0 xG
582 balls lost in 1198 final-third phases (49%)
deliveries into the box that fail to arrive: 47% · league 58%
What it costs: 7% turned into a fast attack · 60% the opponent can’t keep · 3% led to a shot · 2.3 xG
121 deliveries into the box did not arrive
75 of 110 counter-attacks lost (68%)
attacking transitions that produce a shot: 18% · league 16%
What it costs: 5% turned into a fast attack · 64% the opponent can’t keep · 0% led to a shot · 0.0 xG
110 counters: 26 ended in a shot, 75 were lost, 9 slowed down or went out
141 of 347 opponent build-ups got out (41%)
opponent build-ups that get out cleanly: 41% · league 48%
What it costs: 24% reached the final third · 11% led to a shot · 2.2 xG
Sides are their own: "down the left" = down their left.
217 box entries in 733 opponent final-third phases (30%)
opponent final-third phases that create: 48% · league 47%
What it costs: 47% led to a shot · 13.5 xG
Sides are their own.
107 set pieces lost in open play
What it costs: 14% turned into a fast attack · 50% the opponent can’t keep · 3% led to a shot · 0.5 xG
Their corners and free kicks that were lost in open play, and what the opponent did next.
Takers: Marcus Rashford (34), Raphinha (25), Dani Olmo (24)
First contact in the box: Eric García (8), Robert Lewandowski (5), Ferran Torres (5), Ronald Araujo (5), Gerard Martín (4)
What each player does in the phases, counted over the window. Only lines that clear a minimum count are shown.
The comparison behind the report: each behaviour as a rate per opportunity, ranked among the 20 La Liga clubs' full seasons, with how many of the 20 matches sat on the same side of the league median. "Style" is never a verdict.
| behaviour | Barcelona | league median | rank | matches | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style | open-play shots conceded from short passes / combinations | 37% | 51% | 20 / 20 | 17/20 | |
| strength | build-ups straight after a regain that got out | 58% | 40% | 1 / 20 | 16/20 | |
| strength | xG from own corners / free kicks | 0.35 xG | 0.16 xG | 1 / 20 | 15/20 | |
| style | turnovers lost from an own set piece | 8% | 5% | 1 / 20 | 17/20 | |
| strength | build-up giveaways per 10 build-up phases | 1.9/10 | 2.7/10 | 20 / 20 | 19/20 | |
| style | pass rotation per 100 build up phases | 4.1/100 | 1.4/100 | 1 / 20 | 17/20 | |
| strength | balls won from a settled opponent possession turned into a fast attack | 29% | 17% | 1 / 20 | 17/20 | |
| strength | balls won in midfield that produced a shot | 9% | 6% | 1 / 20 | 14/20 | |
| style | controlled possessions that are sustained circulation (10+ passes) | 26% | 9% | 1 / 20 | 20/20 | |
| style | opponent build-ups forced long but kept by the opponent | 8% | 6% | 1 / 20 | 13/20 | |
| style | box entries from the right | 46% | 35% | 1 / 20 | 14/20 | |
| style | controlled possessions that are direct attacks (<=3 passes, fast and forward) | 6% | 13% | 20 / 20 | 19/20 | |
| style | turnovers that came from a long ball not reaching its man | 14% | 23% | 20 / 20 | 20/20 | |
| style | turnovers lost after a long own possession | 23% | 8% | 1 / 20 | 20/20 | |
| style | controlled possessions that are short possessions (0-3 passes) | 13% | 23% | 20 / 20 | 20/20 | |
| strength | build-ups that carried on into the next third under control | 60% | 47% | 1 / 20 | 19/20 | |
| style | pass rotation per 100 progression phases | 8.5/100 | 3.0/100 | 1 / 20 | 20/20 | |
| strength | own corners / free kicks that produced a shot | 18% | 12% | 1 / 20 | 14/20 |
| phase | route | times | shot | their average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final third | W gets it into the box with a carry from the right half-space | 57 | 60% | 44% | |
| Final third | W gets it into the box with a carry from the centre | 18 | 72% | 44% |
| split | behaviour | a | b | p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| against the more aggressive pressers vs the deeper / passive sides | middle-third phases that progressed into the final third | 67% | 77% | 0.0039 | |
| against the more aggressive pressers vs the deeper / passive sides | build-up giveaways that led to an opponent shot within 15s | 0% | 8% | 0.0047 | |
| against the more aggressive pressers vs the deeper / passive sides | build-up exits down the left | 40% | 55% | 0.0051 | |
| when leading vs when level | middle-third phases that progressed into the final third | 65% | 76% | 0.002 | |
| when leading vs when level | build-up exits by carrying it out | 13% | 22% | 0.0204 | |
| when leading vs when level | final-third entries down the right | 33% | 44% | 0.0246 | |
| when trailing vs when level | middle-third phases that progressed into the final third | 88% | 76% | 0.0379 | |
| second half vs first half | build-up exits by carrying it out | 13% | 22% | 0.0312 |
| date | opponent | result | npxG | opponent press | what happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-03 | at Espanyol | W 2-0 | 1.9–1.3 | sat deep / passive | Won 2-0, chances 1.91 v 1.32 xG. Espanyol defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 19.9, league median 14.7). Biggest departure from their norm: opponent build-ups that got out cleanly 25%, far below their usual 41%. |
| 2026-01-18 | at Real Sociedad | L 1-2 | 2.5–0.6 | mid-intensity press | Lost 1-2 despite the better chances (2.50 v 0.61 xG) -- a finishing / goalkeeping defeat more than a tactical one. Real Sociedad pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 12.8, league median 14.7). Biggest departure from their norm: counter-attacks 8.0/match, far above their usual 4.3/match. |
| 2026-01-25 | vs Real Oviedo | W 3-0 | 1.4–0.7 | mid-intensity press | Won 3-0, chances 1.42 v 0.74 xG. Real Oviedo pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 15.5, league median 14.7). Biggest departure from their norm: box entries with a cross 20%, far above their usual 5%. |
| 2026-01-31 | at Elche | W 3-1 | 5.0–1.1 | sat deep / passive | Won 3-1, chances 5.03 v 1.11 xG. Elche defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 18.9, league median 14.7). Biggest departure from their norm: final-third phases that created (box entry or key pass) 71%, far above their usual 49%. |
| 2026-02-07 | vs Mallorca | W 3-0 | 2.0–0.9 | sat deep / passive | Won 3-0, chances 2.02 v 0.90 xG. Mallorca defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 21.4, league median 14.7) and went long on 73% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: giveaways regained within 5s (counter-press) 37%, far above their usual 28%. |
| 2026-02-16 | at Girona | L 1-2 | 2.1–2.0 | sat deep / passive | Lost 1-2 and the chances agreed (2.11 v 2.01 xG). Girona defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 28.2, league median 14.7). Biggest departure from their norm: non-penalty xG conceded 2.01 xG, far above their usual 0.95 xG. |
| 2026-02-22 | vs Levante | W 3-0 | 2.4–0.5 | sat deep / passive | Won 3-0, chances 2.39 v 0.54 xG. Levante defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 27.1, league median 14.7) and went long on 61% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: build-ups that carried on into the next third under control 85%, far above their usual 61%. |
| 2026-02-28 | vs Villarreal | W 4-1 | 2.8–1.0 | sat deep / passive | Won 4-1, chances 2.80 v 1.02 xG. Villarreal defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 29.6, league median 14.7). Biggest departure from their norm: counter-attacks 9.0/match, far above their usual 4.3/match. |
| 2026-03-07 | at Athletic Club | W 1-0 | 0.4–0.7 | sat deep / passive | Won 1-0 on fewer chances (0.36 v 0.74 xG). Athletic Club defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 20.7, league median 14.7). Biggest departure from their norm: giveaways regained within 5s (counter-press) 17%, far below their usual 28%. |
| 2026-03-15 | vs Sevilla | W 5-2 | 1.1–0.6 | sat deep / passive | Won 5-2, chances 1.10 v 0.60 xG. Sevilla defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 19.4, league median 14.7). Biggest departure from their norm: final-third entries by carrying it in 5%, far below their usual 23%. |
| 2026-03-22 | vs Rayo Vallecano | W 1-0 | 1.4–1.5 | mid-intensity press | Won 1-0, chances 1.41 v 1.51 xG. Rayo Vallecano pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 13.5, league median 14.7). Biggest departure from their norm: build-up exits down the right 81%, far above their usual 37%. |
| 2026-04-04 | at Atletico | W 2-1 | 2.4–0.8 | mid-intensity press | Won 2-1, chances 2.36 v 0.82 xG. Atletico pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 17.6, league median 14.7). Biggest departure from their norm: chance-creation phases that produced a shot 48%, far above their usual 36%. |
| 2026-04-11 | vs Espanyol | W 4-1 | 2.7–1.2 | mid-intensity press | Won 4-1, chances 2.74 v 1.19 xG. Espanyol pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 18.1, league median 14.7). Biggest departure from their norm: ball given away during build-up 3.0/match, far below their usual 9.8/match. |
| 2026-04-22 | vs Celta Vigo | W 1-0 | 0.6–0.8 | mid-intensity press | Won 1-0, chances 0.56 v 0.78 xG. Celta Vigo pressed at roughly league-average intensity (strict PPDA 16.8, league median 14.7). Biggest departure from their norm: opponent final-third phases that created 32%, far below their usual 48%. |
| 2026-04-25 | at Getafe | W 2-0 | 1.5–0.9 | sat deep / passive | Won 2-0, chances 1.49 v 0.85 xG. Getafe defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 19.2, league median 14.7) and went long on 60% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: middle-third phases that progressed into the final third 52%, far below their usual 72%. |
| 2026-05-02 | at Osasuna | W 2-1 | 1.4–0.8 | sat deep / passive | Won 2-1, chances 1.41 v 0.77 xG. Osasuna defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 27.8, league median 14.7) and went long on 50% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: build-up exits with a long ball 0%, far below their usual 18%. |
| 2026-05-10 | vs Real Madrid | W 2-0 | 1.2–0.9 | sat deep / passive | Won 2-0, chances 1.18 v 0.89 xG. Real Madrid defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 32.6, league median 14.7). Biggest departure from their norm: counter-attacks 1.0/match, far below their usual 4.3/match. |
| 2026-05-13 | at Alaves | L 0-1 | 0.6–0.8 | sat deep / passive | Lost 0-1 and the chances agreed (0.63 v 0.77 xG). Alaves defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 20.0, league median 14.7) and went long on 89% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: opponent build-ups that got out cleanly 70%, far above their usual 41%. |
| 2026-05-17 | vs Real Betis | W 3-1 | 1.2–0.3 | sat deep / passive | Won 3-1, chances 1.19 v 0.31 xG. Real Betis defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 22.4, league median 14.7). Biggest departure from their norm: PPDA, strict (opponent passes in their own 60% per committed ball-winning action) 17.2, far above their usual 10.5. |
| 2026-05-23 | at Valencia | L 1-3 | 1.0–1.5 | sat deep / passive | Lost 1-3 and the chances agreed (1.02 v 1.47 xG). Valencia defended deep and let them have the ball (strict PPDA 24.4, league median 14.7) and went long on 62% of their own build-ups. Biggest departure from their norm: box entries with a cross 20%, far above their usual 5%. |