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How to Win the Champions League with Barcelona in FIFA 20
Bring the Champions League trophy back to the Nou Camp in FIFA 20.
Being brilliant isn’t acceptable at Barcelona. The board and the fans crave more. They don’t want to be the best; they have to be the best. Sure, winning your eighth La Liga trophy in 11 years is good, but when you’re Barcelona and yearn for European glory, it’s not good enough.
There’s a lot of pressure on manager Ernesto Valverde this season: domestically, they expect to win but are currently finding it more difficult than they would’ve hoped. At least they’re having more joy in Europe: sitting pretty, on top of their group, Barca are already setting their sights on the knockout stages. Who am I kidding? After four years of heartache in the UEFA Champions League, Lionel Messi and co are already eyeing up the big prize that will be given to the winners in May.
If you follow our guide on how to play as Barcelona, in FIFA 20, you’ll see this squad of superstars outperform everyone on the grandest stage.
What formation should you play?
Barcelona 4 2 3 1
© EA
4-2-3-1 (Narrow)
One of the strongest ways to set up any team with quality in all areas of the pitch, 4-2-3-1 (Narrow) provides as many options going forward as it does at the back. There’s no need for dedicated wingers when you have the lightning pace of full-backs Alba and Semedo making overlapping runs. Two defensive midfielders – we went with de Jong and Rakitić over the higher-rated, but much slower, Sergio Busquets – can cover your defensive line if your wing-backs ever find themselves out of position. Rather than leaving the wonderfully talented Ousmane Dembélé on the bench as cover for Antoine or Lionel, stick him wide on the right from the start for an even more formidable front line.
3-5-2
Even with two CDMs covering, three at the back shows up Gerard Piqué’s lack of pace; the younger Lenglet makes for a fine replacement, though. Your wingers need to be quick and defensively capable in this set-up, so as well as the exceptional Jordi Alba on the left, it might be worth looking at putting Sergi Roberto in at RM over Dembélé. Your front three of Antoine Griezmann in a free role behind Messi and Suárez is the cherry on top of this delightful Catalan cake. Not too shabby, eh?
Barcelona 4-3-3 Holding
© EA
4-3-3 Holding
With a strong CDM, you can control the middle of the park; Vidal and Busquets are ideal candidates for a rock-solid defensive midfielder that won’t stray too far from their position. Also, pushing Messi and Griezmann into wider positions, while getting your full-backs to bomb forward, is devastating on the counter-attack. You can get one of your CMs to join the attack, too, for added firepower. We suggest having Rakitić go forward when you’re in possession, as the Croatian has a rocket of a right foot from outside the box.
Who’s in the team?
Goallllllllll
© EA
Defence
Marc-André ter Stegen has to be your first choice keeper, but don’t fret if he ends up on the injured list because you’ve got the terrific Neto ready to step up if needs be. The blistering pace of Semedo and Alba make them a perfect wing-back combo, whilst Piqué and Umtiti snuff out any opposition attacks in the centre half roles. If the experienced Piqué is a bit too slow for your taste, the more agile Clément Lenglet makes for a great alternative. French CB Jean-Clair Todibo is one to watch for future seasons.
Midfield
There’s plenty of competition for those defensive midfielder positions: Sergio Busquets has been there, done that, and could easily do it again for you. His pace, however, makes him a bit of a liability, which is why we recommend going for a CDM partnership of Ivan Rakitić and Frenkie de Jong. Arthur is a really well-rounded sub to bring on, as is the strong and aggressive Arturo Vidal. Keep a close eye on central midfielder Riqui Puig, too, as the 20-year-old has ridiculous potential.
Attack
There are few attacking trios better than Messi, Griezmann and Suárez. Suárez’s physicality compliments Griezmann’s flair superbly, while Messi is… well, Lionel Messi. The Argentine shows no signs of slowing down, boasting an overall of 94, which makes him the best player in the game. Dembélé is a phenomenal choice from the bench, but you’ll reap the rewards if you develop him as he can get even better if nurtured.
Which tactics should you use?
Getting your trophy on with Barcelona in FIFA 20
© EA
With such attack-minded full-backs, you’re better off having Barcelona drop back when defending: this will help you against counter-attacks from teams with pace. And with so many players having a great short passing game, employing a possession-based offensive approach can rip your rivals apart.
Your width comes from Semedo and Alba making overlapping runs. Their speed, as well as dribbling and crossing ability, can be utilised to great effect this way. Plus with two CDMs, there’s always the option to get one to cover the wing, while the other covers the centre when defending. Be sure to allow Rakitić freedom to get forward, though, as he’s a terrific finisher.
Griezmann, Suárez and Rakitić provide options, but Messi should really be your number one on set-pieces. To put it simply, if you win a free kick, have the Barcelona lifer take it. The Argentine wizard is famously shaky on penalties, however, so get Antoine Griezmann on spot kicks
