Strong Homefield Effort For VfB Stuttgart Has Barcelona On Their Heels

Soccer clubs that are as talented as Barcelona make watching the sport of soccer as inspirational as viewing your favorite piece of artwork or as breath-taking as sitting at the peak of your favorite mountain.  The way they can move the ball around the field, and themselves along with it, make it seem that the game flows from them with very little effort and usually leaves any sports fan, let alone any soccer fan, speechless at times.

However, today VfB Stuttgart offered up a challenge that Barcelona very rarely has to face.  From the outset, VfB Stuttgart challenged Barcelona high in the midfield third, something that Barcelona has trouble handling at times.  For as visionary and skillful as the Barcelona side is the continuous pressure on the ball provided by VfB Stuttgart rendered superstars like Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta virtually ineffective for most of the match.

What made the pressure that VfB Stuttgart provided so effective for most of the match was that the team was able to regulate the pressure.  By this I mean VfB Stuttgart used one of Barcelona's strengths against them.  Vfb Stuttgart was able to use Barcelona's possession skills and the pace at which they play as mini-breaks within the game to get a second wind and to put structure back into their defensive shape.

Because Barcelona was not able to recognize and, therefore, exploit these moments in the game, they allowed VfB Stuttgart time to regain their composure.  Additionally, since the pressure that VfB Stuttgart put on Barcelona was high in the Barcelona midfield third they were able to convert turnovers obtained from the pressure into quality scoring chances, especially in the first 30 minutes of the match.

Cacau's headball goal in the 25th minute was a perfect example of the dividends that paid off for VfB Stuttgart.  Through pressure provided by Alexander Hleb, Barcelona lost possession of the ball in their half and it was immediately turned into a beautifully weighted curving cross from the right side that Cacau authoritatively deposited into the Barcelona goal.

VfB Stuttgart was able to generate similar opportunities from the pressure they put on Barcelona but were not able to capitalize on those chances and early in the second half Barcelona was able to tie the score with a tally from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Barcelona should consider themselves fortunate to have come away from Stuttgart with a tie.  As for the approach VfB Stuttgart should take in the return match in Barcelona on March 17, I would suggest more of the same.