In what was the best game of the weekend in France, Olympique de Marseille and AS Monaco demonstrated perfectly why neither team looks certain of claiming a Champions League berth this season. Marseille were gifted a golden opportunity to heap pressure on an inconsistent Monaco side when their visitors received an early red card but […]
Four weeks of 2024 have passed, but these two sides have not awoken in the new year. Top four ambitions are on the line, and the outsiders were alive to the immediacy of this risk. Many men excelled, but the star figure was a striker who stepped up and pitched in to play his part […]
Marcelino’s Villarreal, who had gone three games without a win in LaLiga and were dropping dangerously down the table, took all three points from Montjuïc in a crazy last half hour in which six goals were scored. After losing the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa del Rey in two weeks time, Xavi’s Barça are […]
Having lost to just two of the top-half teams so far this season, Bologna impressed at the San Siro through their dynamic deep buildup and switch to pragmatism. AC Milan found a route, but with two penalties missed and dry spells throughout, groans at the Pioli playbook rumble once more. Tactical analysis and match report […]
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium hasn’t been kind to Manchester City, but their five-game losing streak was finally broken in the FA Cup. They dominated the proceedings right from the outset, with a dynamically fluid approach, but ultimately, Nathan Aké’s toe poke made the decisive impact. Tactical analysis and match report by Rahul Madhavan. We decided to […]
Chelsea had the better of proceedings in the first half as they restricted Aston Villa with their pressing, and were able to create the better attacks using the width and depth in their possession system. In the second half however, the tables were turned, and it was Villa who had the better of things going […]
Bayern bounced back from their weekend defeat with an important, albeit unspectacular, 1-0 win against lowly Union Berlin. Raphael Guerreiro’s goal immediately after half-time was enough to secure the hosts victory and close the gap on Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen to four points. Tactical analysis and match report by Nick Smoothy. Following Bayern Munich’s loss […]
Bayern Munich have been on a slippery slope for a while, but at what point do their worst fears come true? This clash could be a symbolic marker, losing more ground on the top spot with a sterile showing in the first half and a desperate but futile response that followed the break. Tactical analysis […]
Most matters have gone the way of Girona in a campaign that has thrilled from the first day. That tends to require a little help from the divinities— and the auspices graced the game in the form of a devastating display from their striker, who rewarded everything right with this outfit. Tactical analysis and match […]
A stormy evening on the south coast saw two opposing pressing systems collide in a breathless first half dedicated solely to the art of the high turnover. Bournemouth’s resilience could not last and the league leaders, Liverpool, soon extended their grip at the top of the table after a second-half rout. Tactical analysis and match […]