Two students of the game faced off in a match that was always going to be characterized by meticulous strategies. Sevilla took an early lead before the two sides cancelled each other out for large periods of the game. With attacking quality at a premium, it took a bold first-half substitution from Unai Emery to […]
Though Atlético Madrid looked the better team early on, Real Madrid held out and found the back of the net twice before the end of the first half. Excellent game management through patient possession kept them ahead, though Atlético Madrid made it difficult for the last ten minutes after Mario Hermoso scored from a corner […]
Manuel Pellegrini prefers to focus on the players and offense in an age of complex structures and a league obsessed with defensive organization. Let’s talk about how his Real Betis plays a more offensive game and optimizes for players, using player relationships instead of a rigid structure. Written by José Pérez. Strangely, Manuel Pellegrini chose […]
In a wasteful performance from Villarreal, they threw away a number of quality chances that easily could have earned them two or three goals on another night. Real Betis were not much better, though they were able to put one past Villarreal’s elite defense and see out their well-earned lead to vault themselves back into […]
In a match between the two top sides in LaLiga (the only teams with three wins from three matches), the reigning champions outclassed their competition. It was a lively match, with both teams playing quick attacking football, but Real Madrid’s higher quantity (and quality) of chances allowed them to find the back of the net […]
Once worthy of an even joust with their guests, Sevilla have now plummeted. The peak of Julen Lopetegui’s reign is a distant memory. His men took the fight to their opponents on home turf but had fallen apart by the final whistle. Is this loss only accelerating an inevitable departure? Tactical analysis and match report […]
As expected, the match between sides coached by Gennaro Gattuso and Diego Simeone ended up being a physical, intense battle with a fair bit of controversy. Despite Gattuso’s Valencia executing a solid press and structured buildup, they could not break down Atlético Madrid’s final line of defense, and they were not able to beat Atlético […]
Xavi’s 3-4-3 experiment to replace a suspended Sergio Busquets presented several problems in pressing and possession. None mattered in the face of talents like Raphinha and a transcendent Ansu Fati, who came in the second half and decided the game within fifteen minutes. Tactical analysis and match report by José Pérez. LaLiga is back; with […]
For the first time in the sixteen matchups between Unai Emery and Diego Simeone over the course of their careers, Emery took all of the points off of the legendary Atlético Madrid manager. Both sides approached the match in their usual fashions, and though Atlético Madrid and Villareal both created the shots to win the […]
Despite four of Barcelona’s summer signings making appearances against Rayo Vallecano, Xavi’s side could only take a single point from the match after a defensive masterclass from Andoni Iraola’s men. The play from Barcelona was promising, but the Catalans could not find the back of the net from their abundance of chances. Tactical analysis and […]