‘If they don’t change the way they play‘ — Toni Kroos issues tactical warning to Barcelona | OneFootball

FC Barcelona and their playing style were once the topic of debate in European football after their elimination from the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals at the hands of Atletico Madrid.

The team’s strengths and weaknesses are under the magnifying glass lately, especially as they were one of the favourites to win the competition this season.

One notable individual to comment on this matter was the former Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Luppen TV, as Mundo Deportivo has noted, Kroos felt Barcelona were superior over the two legs but were heavily affected by playing long spells with a numerical disadvantage:

“I think Barça were the better team, but when you spend so much time with one player less, it is very difficult. Atlético always knows how to defend a result very well, and with the advantage from the first leg plus the red card, they had a big advantage to reach the semi-finals.”

Toni Kroos did not focus on the refereeing decisions involving Pau Cubarsi and Eric Garcia, but instead highlighted Barcelona’s tactical approach, particularly their high defensive line. In his view, the structure leaves the team exposed in crucial moments of European ties:

“When you defend like that and leave so much space behind, these things can happen, including red cards, to avoid one-on-one situations with the goalkeeper. Barça’s defence is very exposed. It happened to them last year against Inter and this year against Atlético. As I already said, if they don’t change the way they play, they won’t win a Champions League.”

There is no doubt that Barcelona’s defending style has cost them in the UCL. However, it remains to be seen whether Hansi Flick would budge from it going forward, especially as the club’s desire to win the competition even grows stronger going forward.