Raised at CA Newell’s Old Boys, Enzo Barrenechea moved to Europe aged just eighteen. He spent only seven months at FC Sion and leaped Juventus FC’s U19s. He moved up to Juventus Next Gen and made his first-team debut for the Vecchia Signora against Paris Saint-Germain FC in the UEFA Champions League. Last summer, Barrenechea went on loan to Frosinone Calcio and has been a starter in practically every game for Eusebio Di Francesco’s side.
From a physical point of view, Enzo is of medium height and has a mesomorphic build. His execution speed is good, as is his speed of movement – his long legs contribute to the remarkable amplitude of his stride, which allows him to reach a certain point quickly. Still, about his competitive attitude, it is worth noting that he never switches off his game. He is always initiative-taking and never shown any signs of relaxation or lack of concentration.
Defensively, Enzo has a considerable range of action in terms of width – apart from the final third, there is not a single area where the Argentinian has not played frequently. Due to his physical profile, it is easier for him to cover large spaces and thus protect the backs of the other midfielders with whom he forms an inverted triangle. Still based on his physical profile, but adding intelligence and a competitive attitude, it is worth highlighting his ability to press, tackle, and contain, as well as his ability to provide defensive cover – the highlight being the way he reads the defensive game by always scanning. He is an anchor in Eusebio Di Francesco’s midfield and has 8.2 ball recoveries per game this season – he also has 4.4 duels won (combining aerial and ground duels), according to Sofascore.
From an attacking point of view, Enzo is responsible for organising Frosinone’s game from back to front. With a 2+1 formation, Enzo provides solutions for the centre-backs behind the first line of pressure, a space where he can almost always appear as a free man, and with well-directed support – in the event of pressure from the back, he passes to a third man who is facing the game or looks to dribble without losing possession. Once the first line of pressure has been broken, Enzo’s job is to make vertical passes to find the other midfielders or the wingers between the lines – in total, his passes have made the team move forward 3480 metres (data taken from FBref). He is also capable of providing offensive cover when the ball is in the lateral corridors to create combinations to break the pressure and then shift the centre of play to the opposite corridor.
In the future, we may see Enzo Barrenechea establish himself as one of the pillars of Juventus FC’s midfield. As a result of the creation of Juventus Next Gen, like Matías Soulé, Samuel Iling Junior, or Kenan Yildiz, the minutes that the Argentinian midfielder will continue to add at Frosinone Calcio will allow him to reach a good level of performance so that, when he returns to Turin, he will be in constant fight for a place in the starting eleven.
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