FCBARCELONA.CAT

17.03.2009 12:05

The squad makes the difference

Marc Guillén

The campaign so far has been very much a squad effort with all the players getting their minutes on the pitch and keeping the Club alive in 3 competitions. The next two months will be vital and Guardiola will need the support of their entire squad.

A look at the statistics thrown up during the 43 competitive matches played this season shows that the performances have been very much a squad effort. Head coach Josep Guardiola has shuffled his players in and out of the first team with excellent results.

Every player contributes

Every member of the squad (apart from the obvious case of the injured Milito) has had his chances this season. Pedro, Víctor Sánchez, Jorquera and Pinto have played less than 25% of the available time but have still made a vital contribution – for example Pinto’s penalty save in the Cup semi-final.

The rest of the players, 19 out of the 24-man squad, have played more than a quarter of the minutes so far, ranging from Cáceres (984 minutes out of 3,870) to Alves (3,336 minutes).

Goals from every part of the team

Obviously, most of the goals have been scored by the forwards, but even so they have been shared out. 30 out of the 108 goals have come from midfield. Every player, apart from the goalkeepers, Víctor Sánchez, Pedro, Abidal, Cáceres, Puyol, and Hleb, has scored at least once. These last two have made three goal assists each.

Cup shows depth of squad

The ability and depth of the squad really shine in the Spanish Cup. Barça has reached the final using players that have not been so prominent in the league.