Barcelona’s eight-game winning streak was broken as a resilient Valencia, led by Dani Parejo and Neto, held the league leaders in a 2-2 draw.
With the business end of the season on the horizon, the fixtures demand for a lot rotation and Ernesto Valverde played along. This meant that sporadic players like Carles Alena were provided with an opportunity to make a case for themselves.
We dive deep and examine the La Masia graduate’s performance.
KEY STATS
MINUTES: 66
GOALS: 0
ASSISTS: 0
SHOTS: 1
PASSES (ACCURACY): 82 (91%)
KEY PASSES: 1
SUCCESSFUL DRIBBLES: 2
TACKLES: 0
DISPOSSESSED: 1
30-SECOND REPORT
Alena did such a good job on the right side of midfield that the decision to replace the youngster after the hour mark was baffling.
The 21-year-old looked confident on the ball and made a case as to why needs to be fielded more often. He linked up well with Lionel Messi and displayed shades of the Barcelona DNA which enables a player to function smoothly in the system the Catalan side is famous for.
The midfielder had no goals or assists to show for his promising performance, but his presence proved essential in the midfield.
Carles Alena of Barcelona.
GOT RIGHT
Passing: Alena attempted 82 passes and got 75 of them right. The fact that he achieved this in 66 minutes and completed a lot of forward passes only makes this stat all the more impressive.
The Spaniard dropped deep at times and made passes which broke Valencia’s midfield line and found the intended target of Messi or Luis Suarez.
The midfielder’s decision-making aided him in maintaining such a high accuracy. He was neither too conservative, nor reckless, with his passes and almost always chose the right option.
GOT WRONG
Work rate: Whether a low work-rate was expected from the youngster from Valverde or if it is a flaw in his game is not clear and it can’t be deduced from just one game.
But it’s worth nothing that Alena was lethargic when out of possession. The 21-year-old barely committed to a player or chased after a 50-50 challenge.
The midfielder recorded zero tackles, aerial duels and interceptions in the game. Clearly, he has to work harder on the defensive aspect of his game.
VERDICT
With the presence of midweek games about three times a month, the entire squad will be extremely crucial in deciding Barcelona’s fate and not just the best 11 players.
Alena has now established himself as a rotation player and the fact that Valverde trusts him is evidenced by the fact that he has been a regular face on the pitch in the last month or so.
The youngster’s performances have definitely been up to the mark and this one makes the cut too. There are still aspects of his game he can work on, but the talent is evident and the progress visible.
RATING 7/10
