John Toshack told Revista about the importance of Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique to Barcelona.
Defensive duo were key to Clasico triumph, says Toshack
When people talk about Barcelona they naturally look at the incredible attacking talent of players like Lionel Messi, David Villa and Andres Iniesta.
But according to
Revista de la Liga expert John Toshack, the success of Pep Guardiola's team is largely built on the solidity of their centre-half pairing.
The former Real Madrid boss believes Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique are the best central defenders in the world and Barcelona struggled to replace them when they were injured earlier this season.
Central midfielders Javier Mascherano and Sergio Busquets were asked to cover at the back earlier in the campaign, but Toshack says the return of the key defenders was a huge factor in their 3-1 win over Real Madrid last weekend.
"Pique and Puyol are the nerve centre," he told
Revista.
"Terrific international players, the best centre-back pairing in the world probably, they've won the World Cup with Spain and I don't think they've played more than a handful of games together this season.
"When they haven't done, I remember the game in San Sebastian and in Valencia just afterwards when Mascherano played on the right side and Busquets was asked to come back and be the last man.
"That is not his position. He's a defensive holding midfield player is Busquets. He was never the last man in this game, he always had Pique behind him."
Movement
Toshack explained that the return of Pique and Puyol allowed Busquets to return to his more natural position in central midfield.
And that allowed the movement in the Barcelona side to be much more fluid in their Clasico victory.
He said: "When Pique and Puyol are together, probably the best central defenders in the world today, it makes a big difference. People talk about Mascherano, but there's no place for Mascherano in this side.
"They make a big difference to the performance of Busquets as well, as he doesn't have to drop back. He was found out in earlier games this season and was almost pleading with Pep not to be asked to play in the centre of defence.
"Every shot you saw of Busquets in this game had Pique just behind him, so he's not the last man. Then Puyol moves out, Alves moves forward and the movements are completely different.
"Football is about players."
Role
Toshack highlighted the performance of Busquets against Real Madrid and said he is important to the Barcelona team in the fulcrum of their midfield.
And he says Pep Guardiola understands the significance of that role because he played it himself in Johan Cruyff's Barca side of the 1990's.
He added: "This way of playing at Barcelona was started off by Cruyff himself and who was the Busquets of that team? It was Guardiola.
"So Guardiola knows exactly what he wants from Busquets. There's nobody better to teach him or to tell him what he has to do.
"The same way that Guardiola used to come back and get the ball off Koeman and Juan Carlos and Nadal, Busquets does now with Pique and Puyol and Abidal.
"There's nobody better to teach Busquets how to do it than Pep himself."
