If the narrative following Dortmund’s Der Klassiker defeat in the Bundesliga this past weekend centered around their inability to handle pressure, the post-match narrative of their exit from the DFB-Pokal will revolve around their inability to handle Leipzig’s intensity. Tactical analysis and match report by Nick Smoothy. Both teams came into this quarter-final on the […]
A victory for Barcelona would mark a humiliating end to the resistance of their rivals in the battle for Spanish supremacy. Their first half display paved the way to more success, but Real Madrid seized on the unease of their hosts to rewrite the script and book a spot in the cup final. Tactical analysis […]
Chelsea and Liverpool battled hard for ninety minutes but the result seemed inevitable. Chelsea, with the return of N’Golo Kanté, dominated the middle of the park but failed to capitalize on Liverpool’s mishaps. Liverpool, on the other hand, struggled to get going and eventually looked content with a stalemate. Tactical analysis and match report by Rahul […]
In the first of three matches in the space of just sixteen days, AC Milan gained ground and confidence to defy Napoli’s spirit with a resounding away win. Stefano Pioli’s gameplan, reversing back to a 4-2-3-1 formation aimed at gaining superiority in midfield, together with a below par performance from Napoli’s interpreters, showed that Serie […]
Paris Saint-Germain hosted Olympique Lyon in a game tinged with bittersweet memories. PSG controlled the ball but offered up very few threats to a Lyon team that came with a clear plan on how to disrupt and exploit the league leaders. Tactical analysis and match report by Nick Hartland. Before April had even begun Paris […]
Newcastle were on top throughout this game thanks to their high pressing and energetic attacking. Manchester United struggled to establish a good rhythm in possession and often ended up going long, which was rarely successful. Two second half goals from Newcastle were enough to sink United, who offered little in this game. Tactical analysis and […]
It was a tense match between two defensively sound sides; Atlético Madrid’s solid defensive structure kept Real Betis at bay, whilst the away side’s desperate last-ditch defending was nearly enough to keep the hosts off of the scoresheet. It was a late goal from substitute Ángel Correa that gave Atlético Madrid the three points, keeping […]
The biggest Klassiker in about a decade was some way to welcome the Bundesliga back after a short international break. Although they were only a point behind their rivals, Bayern Munich changed managers in these two weeks. Thomas Tuchel could not have asked for a bigger occasion to make his debut, but the pressure was […]
Mohamed Salah’s curled effort tried to change the narrative, but Liverpool had no solution to stop Kevin de Bruyne from being engaged. He and İlkay Gündoğan stretched their double pivot, built the pathways to the wingers and arrived in the box as Manchester City cruised to victory. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel […]