Barcelona’s recent win against Atletico Madrid was significant in many ways. It helped the Catalans retain their place at the top of the league table, but more importantly, the team showed excellent defensive character to put a stop to Atleti’s attacking endeavors and keep a valuable clean sheet.
One star performer in that game was Andreas Christensen. The Danish international starred in defence, offering solidity and stability at the back while providing the technical aspects during the build-up. His formidable partnership alongside Ronald Araujo was key to Barcelona’s victory.
In light of their strong performance, a recent report from MARCA now suggest that Xavi is very happy with the partnership with Araujo and Christensen.
Christensen, in particular, has performed exceedingly well since joining Barcelona on a free transfer in the summer. He has shown tremendous positional sense while his technical prowess has made him a perfect fit in Xavi’s defensive setup.
Christensen’s success has also forced Eric Garcia to the bench and shifted Jules Kounde to the right-back position. And with Gerard Pique gone, the Dane’s progress could be essential in Barcelona’s long-term defensive prosperity.
Meanwhile, Araujo, too, has impressed since returning from injury and has picked up from where he had left off. Much like Christensen, the Uruguayan international was key in helping Barcelona form a strong defensive line against Atletico Madrid and keep a valuable clean sheet.
Between Christensen and Araujo, the latter is seen as more of an aggressive leader. The 23-year-old, therefore, is considered key in Xavi’s setup, and it appears the Barcelona coach is more than prepared to provide continuity to the defensive partnership between Araujo and Christensen.