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 […]
Though Barcelona controlled much of the match, Unai Emery’s Villarreal were lethal on the counterattack, making Barcelona pay for throwing numbers forward in attack. Goals from Alfonso Pedraza and Moi Gómez were more than enough to get Villarreal across the line, though Barcelona’s lack of urgency (and motivation) late in the match played a heavy […]
Though it was Luis Suárez’s last home match for Atlético Madrid, he would not be the Uruguayan to get on the scoresheet for the home side. José María Giménez grabbed the opener thirty minutes into the match, which allowed Atlético Madrid to sit in and defend their lead for the remainder of the game. Nearly […]
In a match where Atlético Madrid needed the points infinitely more than Real Madrid, Diego Simeone’s side showed some life and brought some intensity to the Madrid Derby. Mainly profiting off of Real Madrid’s mistakes in possession thanks to their high press, Atlético Madrid could have easily put four or five goals past the league […]