Why Barcelona’s kamikaze offside trap could change European football

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. When it works, as it did in October’s Clasico win over Real Madrid when Barca’s defence caught Kylian Mbappe offside eight times in 30 minutes, it can make strikers look foolish. “Anyone who drops back by one metre,” he told his players at half-time at the Bernabeu, “I’ll substitute them.” open image in gallery Raphina is having a spectacular season for Barcelona It is one of the starkest evolutions of the game in the VAR era, a high-risk ploy made possible by La Liga’s semi-automated offside technology which sniffs out the most minor infringement. “I am not sure they take into account the runs from the second line, the midfielders, even the defensive midfielder … I think those situations are difficult for them because they stop the line watching the striker or the wide men.” open image in gallery Hansi Flick has tried radical defensive tactics this season The second is the run of a wide player in behind Barca’s full-backs, especially on the counter-attack. open image in gallery Alexander Sorloth celebrates scoring Atletico Madrid's winner over Barcelona This has tended to be the way this season: teams either break through Barca’s pressing wall or get crushed.