Barcelona were like 2-3-5 in set attacks. Inter met Barcelona with 5-3-2 line up.
When Barcelona were trying to make game, Inter didn’t wait them around their own penalty box. They took position in front of their own penalty box and didn’t let full backs, centre stoppers and defensive midfielder to take the ball comfortably. They didn’t press aggressively but also didn’t let them being completely free.
And to do that, Inter’s number 20 Hakan Çalhanoğlu closed to Busquets when Barcelona’s stoppers had the ball. When he closed, between midfield and defense line, a gap occured. Then Pedri and Gavi closed to these spaces smartly.
But for Barcelona, the problem was, when stoppers had the ball, full backs didn’t close to stoppers much enough. They had to take position closer to stoppers diagonally.
With that positioning, full backs could take the ball from stoppers comfortably and quickly and also could pass the ball to Pedri or Gabi directly.
If full backs would take position closer to forward, this time Inter’s centre forwards could cut the connection between full backs and stoppers more comfortably. Also when full backs would take the ball, now because they are closer to Inter’s centre midfielders, Inter’s centre midfielders could cover them quickly than the previous situation.
If full backs would take position closer to stoppers too much, this time the distance between full backs and Pedri or Gavi would be more and Inter’s players could cut the connection easier. Even Inter’s centre forwards could cut the connection between full backs and Pedri or Gavi comfortably with little shifts.