Opinion – PVC: Messi’s strength is his brain

Catalan journalist Alex Delmàs has written the most detailed document on Lionel Messi’s different ways of expressing himself from a strategic point of view. The book “Messi Táctico” was published in 2018, four years before winning the Cup.

He was a starter in the team of Eto’o and Ronaldinho until he got injured against Chelsea, in the round of 16 of the 2005/06 Champions League, which he won in the final against Arsenal. Messi was injured.

He played on the right side of the attack, under the command of Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard. Guardiola put him on the bench for the third game of his tenure against Racing Santander. He didn’t think his left foot helped give the team breadth.

Even so, he was a starter in Pep’s first season, on the right, until the night of the May 1 holiday. In a hotel in Madrid, Guardiola called him to his room and showed him the space behind the Dutch steering wheel Drenthe. He asked that he not comment with anyone and would reverse his position with Samuel Eto’o at his signal.

Barcelona beat Real Madrid 6-2 the next day, with two goals from Messi and his debut in the false nine role. Guardiola’s inspiration was his old master, Johan Cruyff, who performed this same function, of discovering or inventing spaces, while strolling through the countryside.

In the World Cup, Messi was not a center forward, neither fake nor real. On the right, or in the center, he walked across the field, always in the dead zone. Against the Netherlands, he leaned on Aké, his scorer. Suddenly, the defender no longer had him around and was chasing him behind the steering wheel. Space was opened for the spikes.

The next time, he didn’t unguard his marking zone. Messi took the ball and walked to the incredible pass, without looking at the destination of the ball, and leaving Molina face to face with goalkeeper Noppert.

Against France, Lionel Scaloni had the intelligence to place Di María on the left, when most thought of his old role, on the right. Messi stayed in the lane protected by Theo Hernández. I mean, it wasn’t there…

He strolled and induced the lateral to chase him. It opened the space for Molina.

The next time he came to the back of Tchouaméni or ahead of Varane. With every move, he confused the French defensive system. He opened corridors where Di María, De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Mac Allister and Julián Álvarez could interfere.

It’s very difficult to mark Messi, because he finds the dead zones of the pitch and forces rivals to change the original marking. With every move, a hole opens up in the defense. Or for a colleague of Messi, or for himself to shine.

The literature tells that the Hungarian Hidegkuti, in 1954, and the Austrian Sindelar, in 1934, occupied the position of center forward with the same intelligence to circulate behind the midfielders and open flanks through which Bican, in Austria, Puskás and Kocsis, in Hungary they became gunners.

Cruyff was the greatest genius in opening spaces of this type. The Dutchman, number 9 for Barcelona and 14 for the Netherlands, is credited with scoring close to 350 goals. Messi approaches 800.

Its great differential is intelligence. Messi doesn’t just play with his left foot, with which he scored 82% of his goals. In them, in the 13% marked with the right or in the 5% with the head, it is always known that their strong point is the brain.

ROGERIO CENI

São Paulo intends to have a different game model next year. Two rows of four, with construction and marking steering wheels. Hence the interest in Sebas Méndez, who played well in the World Cup for Ecuador. Rogério’s model is what he did at Fortaleza.

THE DUDU ERA

Dudu’s renewal will give the peace that Endrick will need to be Palmeiras’ differential next year. Leila Pereira was firm and managed to include a fair clause. Dudu will renew for another year and will stay until 2026 if he plays half of the 2025 games.