Matthijs de Ligt

[Magyarkhan]

Quality wise, he shouldn't cost more than 50m, but that's not how the market works because if teams are prepared to pay over 70 or 80m then that's what he's worth in the end. Normally, I wouldn't pay this fee if the board won't hire a manager that will value possession above all because, as with Pique, having possession hides his biggest shortcoming: pace.

De Ligt's positioning looks good for a 19 yo kid and it can be improved even further so he does have that going for him plus leadership and good physique.

His leadership qualities are remarkable at any point

 

[FCBfan22]

He had an absolute nightmare of a game today.

 

[Arizona Scott]

Those people don't know anything about football then. Schalke and Ajax were by far the easiest draws.

Lyon with those 2 as well, and Porto just ahead of those 3.

 

[serghei]

Lyon with those 2 as well, and Porto just ahead of those 3.

Porto was in pot 1. Lyon is stronger than Schalke or Ajax imo.

 

[Arizona Scott]

Porto was in pot 1. Lyon is stronger than Schalke or Ajax imo.

Porto was pot 1 but was in the easy group with schalke as the next best team and they are slight underdogs to a mediocre 2 seed in roma. I would agree they are better than these other 3, but not by a lot. Lyon has been very mediocre in ligue 1, I am happy barca drew them.

 

[Arizona Scott]

Most important trait would definitely be aerial ability. We cant allow our CBs as well to be questionable in the air. Up front we need pace and movement. The striker should ideally be good to great in the air as well. A CB who relies on pace is not advisable. We have already lost if we rely on that too much. We need to avoid pace duels in the first place by proper tactics and positioning.

Disagree about pace. Pace in City and Liverpool's backline (VVD, Gomes, Laporte, Stones) and CBs allows the whole team to be very aggressive and play a high line. The next VVD with it all is ideal, but if I had to choose with a pacy normal size cb (6'0"/183cm) and an average paced big guy (6'4"/193), get me the one with pace to burn. I think pace and movement and great feet are the most essential qualities for Barca's CBs.

 

[Jair Ventura]

The most essential skills for a CB are anticipation, positioning, and ball skills.

 

[Jombi]

Disagree about pace. Pace in City and Liverpool's backline (VVD, Gomes, Laporte, Stones) and CBs allows the whole team to be very aggressive and play a high line. The next VVD with it all is ideal, but if I had to choose with a pacy normal size cb (6'0"/183cm) and an average paced big guy (6'4"/193), get me the one with pace to burn. I think pace and movement and great feet are the most essential qualities for Barca's CBs.

You dont need lots of pace to play a high line. Counting on that to bail you out is a disaster waiting to happen. Whats needed is proper tactics, positioning and awareness to avoid these situations in the first place. Of course pace is an extra bonus, but far too many defenders have relied on their pace to bail them out during their development years and have poor sense of positioning and concentration. Aerial ability is far more than height as well. A normal sized CB can be fantastic in the air, and thats crucial for this team. We cant have a team where in almost all the positions, aerial ability is poor.

 

[Arizona Scott]

I agree with the importance about tactics, positioning and awareness. However if I am choosing between pace vs height, or feet vs aerial ability, I am going with excellent pace/feet ability (and average in other aspects) than excellence in height/aerial ability (and average in other aspects), I pick the former for Barcelona. Pace is critical in one on one situations which your attacking teams inevitably leave. You see in Liverpool and City the pacy counterparts getting more big moments, and their teams playing better with sound pacy players--even relatively to some very aware and strong aerial players like Kompany, Otamendi & Lovren (OK not an example of awareness but he is good in the air compared to Gomez). Liverpool has really missed Gomez, though anybody next to VVD is not too bad. The only reason Pique is no longer one of the world's best CBs (though he is still better than many on this board say) is because he has become a little slow--his awareness, skills and aerial ability are fantastic.

 

[Magyarkhan]

De Ligt is a true leader if you see him on dutch television in after game comments. Smart, realistic and with no fuzz. I can imagine that placed near a older leader like VVD he looks a bit lost like in the Dutch NT.

 

[Zidane82]

The most essential skills for a CB are anticipation, positioning, and ball skills.

He's got all those in abundance plus he's tough and uncompromising

 

[Zidane82]

De Ligt is a true leader if you see him on dutch television in after game comments. Smart, realistic and with no fuzz. I can imagine that placed near a older leader like VVD he looks a bit lost like in the Dutch NT.

Plus he links amazingly well with De Jong of course

 

[xXKonan]

I believe it if he wants to come but I wonder if the club would commit to paying what Ajax wants for him and Raiola's commission fees.

 

[Ajax]

Can barca afford another 80m signing? Might even be more expensive

 

[SeloBarca]

It says he is willing to take accept a lower sum than the ones offered from PSG etc just to play for Barcelon and De Jong.

"To play for the Spanish champions, De Ligt is willing to give up the astronomical offers he has received from Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain. For him to take the first step, he wants to make sure that Barcelona are serious about signing him.
If Barcelona’s offer comes close to what other clubs are ready to offer him and they’re ready to make him an important part of the project, the Dutchman is ‘willing to give up money’ and accept their proposal."