Ter Stegen has been preparing for the crucial match against Villarreal. In a training session prior to the match, Ter Stegen has consciously worked on both short and long passes to be prepared for the intense pressure that Villarreal is expected to pose.
In this match, the importance of Robert Lewandowski's role in the long shipments will also be critical. The Polish forward provides support to the attack and can be instrumental in frustrating Villarreal's strategy.
The players have also practiced headers in preparation for the match. This has been a focus as Barcelona continues to apply Xavi's style but still has room for improvement in mastering other important aspects of the game.
In analyzing Marc-AndrΓ© ter Stegen's performance, it's important to consider his ability to accurately execute long balls. This is becoming increasingly important as FC Barcelona is adopting a style of play that emphasizes more than possession and control.
This often requires effective distribution from the goalkeeper. Ter Stegen's average length of goal kicks is 32.5, which ranks 16th among goalkeepers. This suggests that he is capable of launching the ball with sufficient distance to get it out of the defensive end.
However, the launch percentage of 18.4% only ranks 5th percentile among goalkeepers, which indicates that ter Stegen does not rely heavily on goal kicks as a means of starting the attack. This may suggest that he places more emphasis on accuracy in his short passes.
It's also worth noting that ter Stegen's goals against per 90 minutes stands at 0.35, which ranks 95th percentile among goalkeepers. This suggests that he is highly effective in preventing shots on goal and keeping the ball out of the net.
Ter Stegen has a save percentage of 88.4, which places him in the 95th percentile among goalkeepers. Additionally, he has a PSxG-GA of +0.08, which places him in the 68th percentile among goalkeepers.
While ter Stegen may not have a high launch percentage for goal kicks due to Barcelona's style of play, he still possesses the ability to execute long balls accurately.
This, combined with his strong performance in preventing goals, makes him a key player for Xavi's tactical plan against Quique Setien's Villarreal.
Loading suggestions...