For months now, Spanish laliga and all other football league has been suspended, due to the ongoing corona virus pandemic that is ravaging throughout the world. The Spanish league is eying a return on June 11 with the derby between Sevilla and Real Betis. During this compulsory break, Spanish football league seems to update the set of rules guiding their football team.
With players having been sidelined for months and looking at playing a congested schedule over the summer, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) allowed a new rule earlier this month, increasing the number of substitutions teams can make through the end of the 2019/20 campaign. Following this rule, the number of substitutes in a game has increased from 3 to 5.
Barcelona boss ‘Quique Setien’ believes that the new rule adopted by the Spanish league heads will be a disadvantage to Barcelona, with opponents allowed to add more players late in a game, when he believes his side’s fitness shines through. “I think this will do us more harm than good,” Setien told the Las Palma Interinsular Football Association on YouTube.
“Many games are resolved in the final minutes and with this change, rivals will be able to have more fresh players in this phase of the match, where we tend to take advantage of this fatigue.” The boss main concern about the new rule is that, Barcelona is good at taking advantage of the last minutes of game, when most players of the opponent would already be tired, but if the number to be substituted is increased, it will affect the rate at which they maximize the last minute advantage.
Setien has admitted that the long layoff has been difficult for his side, since they haven’t been able to study film together. “We are trying so hard. We thought we’d have more time to train in a group,” Setien said, “one thing we could not do was go into the video room together to review tactical concepts that are important. The situation of not playing matches has allowed players to rest mentally and eliminate stress”
However, with the new rule that seems disadvantageous for the team, Barcelona currently holds a two-point lead over rivals Real Madrid. Should the Catalans clinch a third consecutive Spanish title, their talisman ‘Lionel Messi’ will be a major reason, with the Argentine star having netted 19 league goals in 22 matches so far.
Setien has said that seeing the 32-year-old back in training has been a particular benefit for him as his side ramp up preparations for their return to the pitch.“ It is a pleasure to see him train daily, I really enjoy it and I am hugely proud,” Setien said.
