Liverpool and Real Madrid swapped personas for this encounter, as the English side performed up to their usual standards while the Spaniards failed to truly impact the game. With fatigue leading to forgettable performances from Luka Modrić and Toni Kroos, it was Nacho and Eder Militão who shone for the away side, ably defending their […]

Bayern Munich knew they would need to pull off a ‘mini upset’ to defend their crown. But coming into this game off the back of a thrilling first leg, the tie was still on a knife’s edge, capable of going any which way. In truth, it did as the giants produced another enthralling spectacle, both […]

Bayern Munich’s tie with PSG pitted two of Europe’s superclubs against each other, promising a clash of the titans. What unfolded over ninety minutes on a snowy night in Bavaria was a feast for the eyes. Five goals, a deluge of chances, and moments of individual class produced a superb spectacle, leaving the contest on […]

Manchester City’s dominance is a known quantity, but few would have given their visitors a chance of holding their own in his matchup. However, Dortmund’s 4-5-1 block contained the host’s 4-3-3 system, leaving the identity of the winners in this two-legged affair up in the air. Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere. Manchester […]

This was a game that was shaping up to be a story of two halves, but Vinícius Júnior ensured that Real Madrid would take the headlines when the dust had settled. After a first half where Liverpool’s execution had allowed Madrid to cut them open, Jürgen Klopp’s side opened the second half with some sequences, […]

Entering the second leg with a slim lead, Real Madrid stuttered against Atalanta’s 5-2-2-1 pressing setup. But the muscle memory of their stars on a big European night proved too much to handle. With a structural change that tilted the match, Zinedine Zidane made sure the big names delivered, sending the home team into the […]

Setting the tone for European conquest with a 2-0 win in the first leg, Manchester City looked to finish off the job. Relentless from the off, their fluid 4-3-3 system caused all manner of problems for Borussia Mönchengladbach, putting the tie to bed early in a routine display. Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel […]

Barcelona were chasing the game from the start due to the first leg deficit and did so with good intensity. In their 3-4-3 system, the front three of Messi, Griezmann and Dembélé posed a threat against the PSG defense. However, an Mbappé penalty put Barcelona further behind, and a long-range effort from Messi was the […]

Improving significantly on their first leg performance, Sevilla managed to push Dortmund back and counterpress successfully to prevent their deadly counterattacks. However, all it takes is one mistake to concede against the force of nature that is Erling Haaland. Tactical analysis and match report by José Pérez. Julen Lopetegui’s Sevilla are a great team, and […]

Throughout the 2020/21 season, Real Madrid’s performances have followed the same tactical storyline: they struggle against deep blocks while thriving against opponents who press them high. This trend would continue against Atalanta, with a 17th minute red card forcing the Italian side to defend deep. Real Madrid struggled to break this defense down until a […]