"I am in favour of dominating the game. If you play with three centre-backs, you cannot say that it is a defensive formation. We played our best games in recent years with this system for 3 or 4 months. The clearest example was the [2021 Copa del Rey] final against Bilbao," Ronald Koeman has told Esport3.
"Barcelona live in the past, they are too obsessed with the 4-3-3 and tiki-taka. Football has changed. Now it's faster, more physical. You can't live in the past. If you have Xavi, Iniesta... and Messi, whom by the way, they took from me. This was a very hard one to take," the former Barca boss added.
Barcelona's three-at-the-back formations worked well in Ronald Koeman's first season with the Catalans, indeed. Things changed when Leo Messi was gone and the Dutchman struggled to consistently gain positive results this term.
Rumour has it Xavi may consider switching the 4-3-3 to 3-4-3 next season, especially if the club sign Jules Kounde.
❓ To what extent do you agree with Koeman and why?
