Thierry Henry has once again raised a red flag about Barcelona’s defensive structure, and this time, his words carry even greater weight.
The former Barcelona forward has never been shy about expressing his views, and he believes that the team’s persistent use of a high defensive line could derail their title ambitions this season.
Speaking candidly after Barcelona’s 3-3 draw against Club Brugge, Henry reminded everyone of the recurring defensive flaws that have haunted Barça in recent years.
“We all know what happened against Benfica and Inter. The number of goals conceded is excessive. Most of those goals were very easy for the opposition.
“They have to fix that as soon as possible because it’s impossible for them to win in Europe that way,” he began saying.
Henry’s brutal assessment
Henry went on to explain that this is not a new issue. In his view, the warning signs were already there last season despite some flattering results.
“I already said it after Barça’s victory against Bayern last year. They won 4-1, but it was a very suspicious result.
“Kane only had to drop back to break through the defence and score at will. And they had many more chances.
“Teams know what they have to do and create a lot of problems for the defenders,” said the Frenchman.
The Arsenal legend also drew attention to the pressure this system places on the goalkeeper and defenders.
“The number of challenges that goalkeepers have to stop or concede is not normal.
“A year later, it’s still the same, and that makes it very difficult for a team like Barça, with all the talent it has, to compete,” he added.
Why the risks?
Henry’s final remarks carried a tone of frustration, but also realism. While acknowledging Barcelona’s attacking brilliance, he questioned the team’s insistence on living dangerously at the back.
“Why do you always expose yourself to this situation? Why do you always want to suffer?
“They can always score against you, and that weighs on the players,” said the former Blaugrana star, before concluding that Barça’s offensive quality might win them games, but their defensive approach could cost them the season.
Source: SPORT
