Andrea Pirlo at Fatih Karagümrük 2022/23: What tactics can we expect from the former Juventus boss in Turkey – tactical analysis

Andrea Pirlo only finished his playing career in 2017. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to focus on his managerial and coaching skills. His first role in football was set to be with Juventus under 23s, however, after the sacking of Maurizio Sarri, Pirlo was handed the job to become Juventus first-team boss, with the challenge of retaining the Scudetto.

The architect, Pirlo, received his UEFA Pro License on 16th September 2020, four days before taking charge of his first-ever competitive game as a manager. Its fair to say this all happened in a rush. Pirlo has said that his ideas have been inspired by the Barcelona sides managed by Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola, Louis van Gaals Ajax, Antonio Contes Juventus and the AC Milan side led by Carlo Ancelotti.

This tactical analysis examines Andrea Pirlos tactics at Juventus during the 2020/21 season. This will be an analysis of his coaching philosophy, and what can be expected from him at his new club Fatih Karagümrük.

Formation

At Juventus, Pirlo had varied the systems he liked to use, perhaps as a result of being new to the job. At times he deployed a 3-5-2 system, but most of the time he opted for a 4-4-2. This wasnt hugely relevant, as the formation used when trying to penetrate the opposition was often the 3-1-6, with specific profiles needed in certain areas.

This was the structure that Pirlo tried to ensure always remained. A full-back would drop into the back line to form a back three whilst the other would stay high and wide. The key is to have one player positioned high and wide on each flank, with the quality to be an outlet. The back three all have to be comfortable on the ball whilst the pivot in front needs to be technically sound, press-resistant and possess the ability to dictate the play.

Pirlo, like other modern coaches, required two players who are able to play in the half-space, and a midfielder who can link the play through the thirds. The final piece of the puzzle is to have a striker that is mobile enough to get around the pitch and be able to link play.

In possession

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