The news of Yang Yang's return home and Cruyff's column attacking Yang Yang for two consecutive days occupied an important page in Spain, Europe, and even major media around the world, attracting the attention of media and fans around the world.

Especially on the eve of the century derby.

Cruyff made it clear in both columns that he is optimistic about Barcelona beating Real Madrid away in La Liga, because the two new signings this season, Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas, have greatly improved Barcelona's fighting power and tactical richness.

On the other hand, Yang Yang is too involved in off-court affairs, especially pointing fingers at things he is not good at, which is the key factor that he will lose this matchup.

'As far as I know, Pep Guardiola is ready for the game and is waiting for the game.

This sentence from Cruyff's column was immediately reprinted by numerous media outlets, especially the Catalan press.

The Daily Sports newspaper even published the starting lineup prediction for Barcelona's derby of the century on the front page, believing that Guardiola will adopt the best and best back three formation in recent times, repeat the peak of the Cruyff Dream team and bloody Real Madrid at the Bernabeu Stadium.

Fueled by the media, Barcelona fans are also surging.

In fact, in recent times, there has been a lot of controversy about whether Barcelona is suitable to play a back three or a back four, because Pep Guardiola has always been strong in a back three, but when he plays a back four, his performance is not ideal.

The most typical one was the recent defeat to Getafe, who had just beaten a strong opponent in the Champions League with a back three, only to return to Spain, facing Getafe who were not very good, but the back four could not score a single goal.

So, as soon as Cruyff's column came out, when the front pages of Daily Sport and World Sports appeared, Guardiola's team was immediately put on the fire, because he has not yet decided whether to use a back three or a four.

……

"They're just messing around!" Guardiola cursed angrily.

They are clearly including Cruyff and Catalonia in the media, as only Pep Guardiola himself knows what is going on, and their push will only make Barcelona more passive.

A back three and a back four, it may not seem like a difficult choice, but it's actually the most difficult to choose.

It is not difficult to choose because Barcelona has absolute confidence that they can control the ball in their own hands, and if the back three can play fluently, can play better attacks, and can penetrate Real Madrid's iron wall, then one less defender is not a problem at all.

But this is the most difficult to choose, because it is not easy to break through Real Madrid's defense, especially when Carlo Ancelotti adopts a back three, and you must know that Real Madrid currently has top midfielders such as Mascherano and Xavi Martinez, as well as players such as Xavi Alonso, Luka Modric and Herrera.

"Or are we going to play a back three, or do we let Alves go up and pull back when something doesn't go wrong?" Head assistant coach Vilanova suggested that this was a strategy that Barcelona had used before.

But Pep Guardiola shook his head, "I'm not worried about Real Madrid grabbing possession from us, if they still want to grab the ball with us like last time, it should be a double midfield, and we have no problem dealing with a back three." ”

Guardiola is confident enough for his team, he knows what Barcelona's problems are, and he knows where the weakness of the back three is.

Everyone knows that the natural weakness of the back three is on the side, and if Barcelona plays the back three, what they are most afraid of is not that Real Madrid plays double backs, grabs possession with Barcelona and plays against each other, but Ancelotti adopts a back three style of play and counterattacks defensively.

Yang Yang and Robben are the world's top wingers, Di Maria has also transformed into a world-class winger this season, how strong Real Madrid's side is, fans who are familiar with them will not be unfamiliar, once Ancelotti adopts a three-back style of play, Barcelona can not play in the midfield, and the back line is difficult to defend when it is counterattacked.

You know, Real Madrid also has Ibrahimovic in the middle.

"This time they are playing at home, and the results have been so good in the past six months, and the attack is so strong, I don't think he should be so conservative, right?" Villanova guessed with a frown.

Pep Guardiola looked deeply at his assistant, and saw that Villanova felt a little hairy, in fact, no one can guarantee what kind of tactics Ancelotti will adopt.

Now, Real Madrid is eight points ahead of Barcelona, according to common sense, Real Madrid can afford to gamble, even if the bet is lost, they still have a five-point lead, but for Barcelona, they can't afford to bet, because once the bet is lost, as much as eleven points behind, it is very fatal, and it can even be said that it is directly announced that the La Liga champion belongs.

But the more this happens, the more Real Madrid may seek stability.

Because this battle is won, their championship is basically in hand.

Carlo Ancelotti has never been a pushy manager, on the contrary, he has been an Italian manager from start to finish, and aggressiveness has never been his first choice.

In this case, Real Madrid may even seek stability at home and not hesitate to keep a draw.

Then, if Real Madrid adopts a back three style of play, Barcelona must also seek stability, and the back three with obvious weaknesses on the side becomes very risky, and the back four is the best option.

Cruyff is right about one thing, the addition of Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas has given Barcelona more options, but the most important thing is to see how each side views this game.

'There's also the possibility of using a full-time defensive midfielder, such as Mascherano or Javi Martinez, and the other two positions with Xavi Alonso, Herrera and Modric, or even Kaka. Pep Guardiola speculated.

Vilanova looked at Pep Guardiola, "You still think that Ancelotti will use a back three!" ”

Guardiola nodded, "Benitez likes to surprise and be good at using odds, but Ancelotti is not, he is an honest man." ”

Honest people?

Vilanova wanted to laugh a little, because isn't it a bit inconsistent to describe Ancelotti as an honest person?

The fat Italian guy looked smiling, but he was actually full of water, and they had suffered a lot of losses in the Super Cup, especially in the damn first half.

"Why don't you think he won't take another risk?" Villanova asked again.

Different personalities have different perspectives on how to consider and look at problems.

Vilanova felt that Ancelotti was likely to be in danger again.

Guardiola looked at his assistant, thought for a moment, shook his head and said, "Feel it." ”

It feels like this kind of thing is never unreliable, and this is what Guardiola himself said, so he doesn't like to pin the team's hopes of winning on a certain player, but interestingly, he himself believes in the feeling the most.

Of course, he was always superstitious about his own feelings.

'If they play a back three, then we should go to a back four and play with them for a long time. Vilanova immediately followed Guardiola's line of thought and adjusted his strategy.

Needless to say, the back four, Abidal, Puyol, Pique and Alves, if they are not injured or sick, they are the four of them.

In the midfield, when playing three, four or three, Fabregas will start, but if he plays four, three or three, then he can only win Fabregas, because the iron triangle of Busquets, Iniesta and Xavi in the midfield is untouchable.

In front of it, it is still a combination of Villa, Messi and Sanchez.

When Vilanova set up the formation on the tactical board with a tactical piece printed with the player's number, Guardiola stepped forward with a frown, took Villa's chess piece, put Fabregas's number four, and placed it in the middle of the front, and then moved Messi to the right and Sanchez to the left.

"What are you ......" Bilanova was a little strange.

"From the day I decided to bring in Sesque, I've been thinking about how to use him, he's not Xavi at all, he can't be Xavi, he's developed his physicality and ability to fight in the Premier League over the years, I think maybe I can put him in this position."

Messi is a left-footed right winger, Sanchez is a right-footed left-winger, and Cesc Fabregas is a central striker, so the answer is obvious, Guardiola just wants Cesc Fabregas to attract the defensive strength of the Real Madrid centre-back, and then drop back into the midfield, while playing his excellent last-pass ability.

In this way, Messi and Sanchez's diagonal ribs will become more threatening.

Pep Guardiola took a few steps back and stared blankly at the tactical board, apparently deducing in his mind everything that might happen in the game, and at the same time wondering how the trident of Cesc Fabregas, Alexis Sanchez and Messi would fit together in the game. How do you threaten?

How to break through Real Madrid's goal, this is the first problem that Guardiola considers, and then how to freeze Yang Yang.

Sergio Busquets, Alves and Puyol, can these three players be able to stop Yang Yang?

Pep Guardiola's mind is full of question marks right now, but a few years of coaching experience have taught him that this is normal.

Before the start of the game, every manager does not know whether his carefully planned tactics will work, and he does not know whether his opponent will be fooled, or whether he will surprise his opponent like himself.

The only thing you can do is to do your best to prepare for everything that may arise and plan for every eventuality, so that when it comes to the game, even if there is an unexpected surprise, there are enough options to deal with it.

A back four is Pep Guardiola's starting tactic, but he is confident that if Real Madrid do not play with a back three, he will make appropriate adjustments before the game and make changes according to the situation in the game.

It's been over two years since we beat Real Madrid!

This time, you can't afford to lose again no matter what!

Guardiola thought through gritted teeth.