3 Reasons why Barcelona won 2-1 over Leganes

Barcelona scraped through with a 2-1 win
Barcelona scraped through with a 2-1 win

2. Barcelona improve after a woeful first half

Griezmann had a game to forget
Griezmann had a game to forget

Ernesto Valverde tried a new 4-2-3-1 system in this game, but it fell flat in the first half. Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele both played on either wing, and Lionel Messi played centrally behind Luis Suarez. But the team showed no attacking impetus in the first half.

Despite dominating possession they failed to create anything of note. Leganes were playing with a deep compact line and Barca did not get behind the defenders. Thankfully though, they improved in the second half.

Even though the improvement was not marked, they assumed control of the play. Messi's delicate free-kick was headed home before Arturo Vidal got a goal in the last ten minutes. It was a scrappy goal, but Barcelona's constant pressure was finally rewarded. Despite the win, Valverde will be worried about how his side played in the first half and for the majority of the game.

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