As anticipation builds for the Spanish Super Cup Final between Barcelona and Real Madrid, one key aspect remains shrouded in mystery – Xavi Hernández’s tactical approach to neutralizing Real Madrid’s Brazilian dynamo, Vinicius Junior. Xavi, known for deploying Ronald Araujo at right-back to counter Vinicius’s threat in past El Clásicos, declined to divulge his strategy in the pre-match press conference.
The decision to deploy Araujo against Vinicius has been a masterstroke for Barcelona in recent El Clásico encounters, contributing significantly to their success against their arch-rivals. The Uruguayan defender has consistently outperformed Vinicius in their individual battles, limiting Real Madrid’s ability to generate dangerous attacks.
As speculation mounted about whether Xavi would stick to the successful formula in the Super Cup Final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Barcelona coach opted to keep his cards close to his chest. When quizzed about the potential matchup, Xavi refused to provide any hints, stating, “I can’t give any clues about that because I’d be doing Ancelotti a favor. You’ll see tomorrow.”
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While acknowledging Araujo’s defensive prowess, Xavi also lauded the player’s evolution with the ball at his feet. “Araujo is guaranteed to play well no matter where he plays, not only his defensive level but how much he’s improved with the ball, the way he can break lines and find the right passes. He has improved so much with the ball since we’ve been in charge,” remarked the Barcelona coach.
Araujo’s strides in possession have indeed added a new dimension to his game, making him a more well-rounded and versatile player. However, it is his defensive tenacity, particularly against Vinicius, that has proven crucial in recent Clásicos.
Despite widespread expectations that Xavi might replicate the successful Araujo-Vinicius matchup, the coach remained elusive, emphasizing the element of surprise in his tactics. “We all think he will indeed mark Vinicius again, but Xavi says we’ll have to wait until kickoff to find out for sure.”
As fans eagerly await the showdown between the Spanish giants, Xavi’s strategic decision regarding Araujo’s role against Vinicius adds an extra layer of intrigue to an already highly anticipated clash in the Spanish Super Cup Final.