Brann: Why they can take confidence from their first leg against Barcelona
This week saw the return of the Champions League as the knockout rounds got underway, and there was plenty to look forward to when it comes to seeing some of Europe’s best players lock horns in search of the ultimate prize in the continental game.
One of the ties that looked more straightforward on paper was that of Barcelona against Brann, with the Norwegian side being the lowest-ranked team left in this year’s competition and facing the side hoping to defend their title and to add a third European trophy to their collection in the process.
However, to think that this would be an easy win for the Spanish giants would be to underestimate Martin Ho’s outfit, with Brann developing into a tough team to come up against on his watch that plays with a clear identity around the field. Therefore, whilst it was still expected that Barcelona would prevail against them, Brann were never going to be an easy opponent for them to overcome, and that certainly showed as the first leg in Bergen on Wednesday night played out.
Brann’s tactics under Martin Ho
When he was appointed as Brann’s new head coach, Ho stated that he wanted his team to play offensive, energetic and high-pressing football, and what was also clear from their first few matches under him was his desire for them to keep their fate in their own hands and to not leave anything to chance.
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