Barcelona’s defensive department sets main objective for this season | OneFootball

Barcelona are gearing up for a new challenge this season as the club look to deal with the departure of Inigo Martinez.

The veteran centre-back was a key cog in Hansi Flick’s pressing unit. His ability to rotate and distribute possession had made him vital for Barcelona’s build-up play.

Martinez had also shown a tremendous amount of discipline in maintaining the high line of press that made Barcelona so successful last season.

But with Martinez no longer an option, Barcelona are bracing themselves for a new defensive duo of Ronald Araujo and Pau Cubarsi, two distinct players.

Barcelona’s defensive goal for this season

According to SPORT, Barcelona’s defensive department has already set a clear goal for themselves this season, as far as their defensive unit is concerned.

It appears Flick wants Barcelona to concede fewer goals than last season and keep more clean sheets.

Can Ronald Araujo elevate Barcelona’s defence? (Photo by Paul Miller/Getty Images)

Last season, Barça had conceded 39 goals in 38 matches, which is not a bad record to have. However, it wasn’t among the best in the league. In fact, Barcelona had the most porous defence in the top four.

Keeping that in mind, Barcelona want to significantly improve their defensive record this time around.

While it is true that Araujo’s lack of distribution could significantly weaken the build-up play, the club believe the Uruguayan international may offer more than Martinez in terms of speed and strength.

Araujo’s defensive astuteness could make Barcelona more sturdy, especially when defending counterattacks.

The defender also offers aerial superiority, making him useful in both attack and defence. However, the onus will also be on the player to improve his overall game and show greater discipline, if he is to truly thrive in Flick’s defensive setup.