Here is a brief FM20 team guide of the Barcelona squad, their club structure, relationship any potential managers will have with the board, expectations and possible tactics any FM manager can use.
Here is a brief FM20 team guide of the Barcelona squad, their club structure, relationship any potential managers will have with the board, expectations and possible tactics any FM manager can use.
About the club
FC Barcelona or Barca are a professional football club that ply their trade in the La Liga. Futbol Club Barcelona is a Spanish professional football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Founded in 1899, the club has become a symbol of Catalan culture and Catalanism. Unlike many other football clubs, the supporters own and operate Barcelona. It is the fourth-most valuable sports team in the world, and the world's second-richest football club in terms of revenue.
Domestically, Barcelona has won a record 74 trophies; 26 La Liga, 30 Copa del Rey, 13 Supercopa de España, 3 Copa Eva Duarte, and 2 Copa de la Liga trophies, as well as being the record holder for the latter four competitions. In international club football, the club has won 20 European and worldwide titles; 5 UEFA Champions League titles, a record 4 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, a joint-record 5 UEFA Super Cup, a record 3 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, and 3 FIFA Club World Cup. The club has a long-standing rivalry with Real Madrid; matches between the two teams are referred to as El Clásico.
Barcelona is one of the most widely supported teams in the world, and the club has one of the largest social media following in the world among sports teams. Barcelona players have won a joint record number of Ballon d'Or awards (11), as well as a record number of FIFA World Player of the Year awards (70. In 2010, three players who came through the club's youth academy (Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, and Xavi) were chosen as the three best players in the world in the FIFA Ballon d'Or awards, an unprecedented feat for players from the same football school.
Barcelona is one of three founding members of the Primera División that have never been relegated from the top division since its inception in 1929. Barcelona are the first club to win the continental treble consisting of La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League, and also became the first Spanish football club to win six out of six competitions in a single year. With such a rich history of dominance in the sport, it is easy to see why Barcelona remain the favourite of most FM Managers.
Board Expectations
Barcelona are the defending champions of La Liga. The minimum board requirements as you would expect is huge,
- Win the La Liga
- Win the UEFA Champion’s League
- Make the final of the Copa Del Rey.
Additionally, you will be required to play attacking possession-based football, be required to sign high profile players and promote players from the youth system. The transfer budget when you initially take over should be minimal because the Club have already spent over £230m in the summer.
Barcelona have top class training facilities and one of the best youth setups in the world. Their youth academy LA Masia is renowned for producing some of football’s biggest stars.
Squad, Formation and Tactical Style
Barcelona are a very attacking team that play possession hungry football. A vertical tiki-taka is probably the best tactic to go with considering what the board wants but since the squad is versatile you can alter the formation as you see fit.
A 4-3-3 is how Barcelona line-up in real life and is probably the best-suited formation to the available squad of players. This also helps them maintain the width with the overlapping fullbacks who are very attacking in nature.
A rough example of what your line-up would look like in a 4-3-3 formation is as follows;
- Marc-Andre Ter Stegen as a sweeper keeper.
- Gerard Pique & Clement Lenglet as the 2 ball-playing centre backs.
- Nelson Semedo & Jordi Alba as the 2 wing backs who are naturally very attacking.
- Arturo Vidal, Sergio Busquets & Frenkie De Jong make up the 3 man central midfield, with Busquets operating as a regista, Vidal as a box to box midfielder & De Jong as a playmaker/Mezzala
- Lionel Messi & Antoine Griezmann as the 2 inside forwards.
- Luis Suarez as a lone Centre Forward.
Even though you need not tinker with the formation much, there is a lot of quality on the bench too with some notable names like Rakitic, Ousmane Dembele & Samuel Umtiti waiting for first-team chances.
Key Players
The entire squad is riddled with key players with some players are the best in their positions in the entire world.
1. Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is widely regarded as the best player in the world. He has produced double-digit goals & assists for 13 seasons in a row, he is also excellent from set-pieces and has the most free-kick goals in world football over the last 5 seasons.
2. Antoine Griezmann
Griezmann may be a new signing but the world cup winning inside forward is already an established star in the La Liga. His contributions will be crucial to take Barca that extra step.
3. Marc-Andre Ter Stegen
Ter Stegen is one of the best goalkeepers in world football. In a team riddled with the best-attacking talent, his contributions can never be undermined in maintaining balance.
4. Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez is a world-class striker who has played across many top leagues. Together with Griezmann and Messi, they make one of the most frightening attacking trios in world football.
Weaknesses
- With the fullbacks being very attack-minded, Barca are left open to a lot of counter-attacks and could be difficult to manage against good counter-attacking teams.
- With so many stars in the lineup and on the bench, it is hard to give playing time for everyone and you may end up losing some key youngsters who may want regular first-team action.
- Some of the best talents of the club are ageing and may be impossible to replace.
Potential Transfers (in)
Barcelona team already boast of some of the best stars in the world, however, these players could be welcome additions to the side.
- Neymar
- Virgil Van Dijk
- Milan Skriniar
Potential Transfers (Out)
These players may be surplus to requirements at the club or may not be of the expected quality.
- Arturo Vidal
- Coutinho
- Samuel Umtiti
Young Prospects
There are a few exciting young prospects in the ranks who have the potential to be some of the best players in the league. A few examples are;
- Ousmane Dembele (AML, AMR)
- Carles Alena (CM)
- Riqui Puig (CM)
- Ansu Fati (AML)
- Abel Ruiz (ST)
FM20 Team Guide & Tactic - FC Barcelona
To Summarize, Barcelona is a dream to manage for most FM20 managers. With a plethora of stars and the reputation of being one of the best clubs in the world, it is easy to see the allure. However, Barcelona have fallen short of willing the UCL for 4 seasons in a row. Could you be the one to do it for Barca?
