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3 Things We Learned: FC Barcelona vs Borussia Mönchengladbach

By Benjamin Barkworth

Arda Turan of FC Barcelonaduring the UEFA Champions League group C match between FC Barcelona and Borussia Monchengladbach on December 06, 2016 at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain.(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)
Arda Turan of FC Barcelonaduring the UEFA Champions League group C match between FC Barcelona and Borussia Monchengladbach on December 06, 2016 at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain.(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images) /
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Barcelona efficiently took apart Mönchengladbach in a one-sided 4-0 win.

Turan Stars

The Turkish international played in his favoured role on the wing, and it showed. He scored a hat-trick, assisted Messi’s goal and linked-up well with the rest of Barcelona’s attacking players. It was obvious when watching him that he was comfortable in this role. This was because it was similar to his role at Atlético Madrid, where he starred. His willingness to track back brought more stability to the team as well. It’s very unlikely that he will be able to break into the first team with the quality of the front three. However, he could be a great option from the bench if Luis Enrique wants to rest one of the front three or if Barcelona move from their customary 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1.

He hasn’t had a great time at Barca so far, but maybe we might start to see the best out of him now. It could be a classic case of ‘second-season syndrome’. If this is the case then Barça may profit substantially when they need their periphery players to perform in the congested fixture periods.

Gomes and Suárez Shine

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In a match where all six summer signings played, it’s comforting to see the two midfielders play well. It could be argued that each position at Barcelona is hard, but the midfield is unique due to the balance it requires. Getting the balance between attack and defence wrong can easily sink the team. It’s tough to get used to, and even harder to master. Nonetheless, both players have already started to understand the requirements of the role in the brief period they have been at Barça.

André Gomes controlled the match in his CDM role, and did his defensive duties well, although, Mönchengladbach didn’t threaten much. Previously, he has struggled with the defensive side of the game, so this was a major improvement.

Denis Suárez once again showed why he is part of Barcelona’s bright future. At his previous clubs, he played more on the wing than in the center. However, during his time in Catalonia he has played in the middle, and it suits him. His natural ability and composure on the ball allows him to excel in this role. On top of this, he has the vision to pull off the high quality passes that are needed to unlock the opposition defense. He also has the ability to beat a man one-on-one. All this means he is in a similar mold as Andrés Iniesta which is good news for Barcelona. It has to be mentioned, though, that the presence of Iniesta helped both of them during this match due to his ability to keep everything flowing smoothly.

Photo by Joan Cros Garcia/Corbis via Getty Images.
Photo by Joan Cros Garcia/Corbis via Getty Images. /

Alcácer Struggles

Paco Alcácer still hasn’t scored his first goal for Barcelona. This match seemed the ideal time for him to score, yet luck and misunderstandings combined to stop him. He is a talented striker, but his continued inability to score is worrying. As said above, some of it is just bad luck. However, it isn’t all down to that, he doesn’t seem to have the chemistry on the pitch with the other players as of yet. Hopefully, it’s related to his limited time there rather than anything else because even Luis Suárez struggled when he started. He needs to score soon, though, to boost his own confidence and the confidence of people in him.