By: Kevin Kemboi
In this article we breakdown the game between Manchester City and Real Madrid
City set up in a 4-3-3 with Bernardo required to contribute to all phases of play and particularly the build-up to offer an extra passing option against Madrid’s press.
Early on, when intensity was naturally high, Madrid forced City to go long on before adrenaline calmed down.
However, tactically, City had an overload in the build-up against Real Madrid’s press in a number of facets. Madrid set up in a 4-4-1-1 shape with Modric pushing onto Rodri, the double pivot marking KDB and Bernardo, and the wingers marking City’s fullbacks.
As such, City had a 3 versus 2 with the Centre Back’s and the single pivot against Modric and Benzema whilst also having an overload when Bernardo dropped deep due to Casemiro’s preference to screen the back four as opposed to following him. This meant City had an overload in midfield, too.
As such, the theme of the first half was largely chaotic for the first 10 minutes in which Madrid went toe-to-toe with City in an end-to-end game thanks to their aggressive & high intensity pressing. However, as that intensity waned, the tactical advantages saw City gain control.
As such, the primary theme of the first half saw City sustain pressure against Madrid’s low block. Then, within those situations, Madrid were reliant on insane technical quality to get out because when they did retrieve possession City were right on top of them to counterpress.
Madrid got out on a couple of occasions thanks to their absurd technical levels and even had more chances than City in the early stages of the game as a result of that. However, that didn’t last & City largely controlled Madrid despite not creating much themselves in the 1st half
Pep said himself that he wasn’t happy with the first half performance and that was likely down to the fact that City did sustain pressure and subsequently control on the game but didn’t create many chances to capitalise on that control within the game.
Then, in the second half, Madrid’s technical level enabled them to create some great opportunities but the general theme of the game remained with City largely in control, and this was also enabled by their effective man-to-man high press all over the park.
Although possession percentages were even, the majority of the time City had possession they had time and space on the ball to pin Madrid back but when Madrid had the ball City were all over them so it was more difficult for them to deal with.
It was clear City were in control.
Despite Madrid’s insane technical level enabling them to create chances, City were the ones who took the lead as a result of their control on the game. A minute before this Pep brought on Gundogan for KDB who’s 2nd phase presence in the build-up contributed heavily to the goal.
In fact, Rodri actually went over to hug Pep for his tactical change which took immediate effect on the game and proved decisive. Then, at this point, the game theme remained.
Citywere largely in control but Madrid’s stupendous individual quality enabled them to create chances.
Pep brought Grealish on who should have scored twice bar pure brilliance from a miraculous goal clearance off the line from Mendy and an incredible Courtois save. As Pep said himself, Grealish brought control by being a technical outlet in transition who’d hard to dispossess.
That’s what Grealish did & although he missed two glaring opportunities, he couldn’t have done any more in each situation & his sub easily could’ve been another Pep sub which directly contributed to the game closing goal. Then, the magic happened. Madrid scored twice in a minute.
How did this happen? Well, Pep brought Mahrez off for Fernandinho and decided to add extra compactness into midfield to see the game out because he knew the players would naturally fall back as the game reached it’s close. That’s human nature in a Champions League semi-final.
So, that’s what happened. City continued to try and reach their outlets or use the technical quality to relieve pressure but Madrid naturally happened to sustain some pressure through City’s nerves combined with their own technical quality and counterpressing.
It was ruthless.
Tactically, did Pep do anything wrong here? Not for me. Although City naturally began to sit back, they did just let Madrid sustain pressure. They still tried to press high and to keep the ball to make it difficult for Madrid to do that but everything went in Madrid’s favour.
From this situation Courtois pumped the ball long and Vinicius beat Cancelo (who was only playing right back thanks to a Walker injury) in a 1v1 duel and Madrid got up the pitch, sustained pressure, and equalised a couple of seconds later.
That’s football – it can happen.
So, in the 90 minutes of the tie, Pep couldn’t have given his team a better chance of winning – there’s no way he could have despite what occurred. However, at the beginning of extra time City’s front 6 was Fernandinho, Rodri; Foden, Gundogan, Bernardo, Grealish.
That’s poor.
Although Fernandinho and Rodri being on the pitch to see out the game in the final couple of minutes made sense, it certainly didn’t make sense when the game was level. City’s forward dynamics made little sense and they became more easily pressed with less fluidity in midfield.
Madrid scored from a penalty in this stage in the game, albeit through Camavinga brilliance to get the team up the pitch. However, the reality of the situation is City were unbalanced in that moment and that’s when Madrid scored the winner.
Sterling came on but it was too late.
For the remainder of the game City attempted to probe and break down Madrid but they couldn’t sustain meaningful pressure, nor could they create big chances in transition without their key men on the pitch.
Madrid saw the game out with relative ease by defending deep or keeping the ball.
So, again I ask is Pep at fault? Well, for 111 minutes of a 120-minute game (excluding stopping time), he gave his team the best possible chance of winning. For context, Sterling came on in the 99th minute of extra time, so the 9 minutes I’m referring to are the first 9 of Extra Time.
The starting eleven he fielded at the start of extra time was incredibly unbalanced and Madrid scored the winner in that period. The penalty didn’t come about directly as a result of Pep’s selection, but it did occur in that stage of the game, so he must take some responsibility.
So, does that make him entirely at fault? No, not for me, and the players could have made more creative use of his structure in transition and against Madrid’s settled block. City lacked devastating performances by the penetrative players, & that was more costly than Pep’s error.
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