Paulo Sousa Tactics At Flamengo 2021/2022: How Flamengo Could Look Under The Portuguese – Tactical Analysis

Following a disappointing season under both Rogério Ceni and Renato Gaúcho, Flamengo have turned to Portuguese manager Paulo Sousa.

Since Jorge Jesus’s victorious spell in 2019/20, when he won five titles in 14 months, Flamengo has not settled on a manager.

With high expectations and high pressure, Paulo Sousa hopes to hit the ground running with the Carioca Championship starting in a few weeks.

Flamengo boasts one of the strongest squads in the country, featuring players such as Gabigol, Arrascaeta, Andreas Pereira, David Luiz, Filipe Luís, and more.

Consequently, Paulo Sousa will be expected to challenge for every competition they are in; a total of five.

With such squad and ambitions, Sousa has described his future Flamengo tactics as “Protagonist, Dominant, Offensive, and Organised”.

Similar philosophies were implemented in his past jobs, but the extent to which they were effective varied.

At any rate, he brings valuable experience in the world’s best leagues with him.

This tactical analysis examines Sousa’s tactics in Fiorentina, Bordeaux, and Poland to determine the playing philosophy he will adopt at Flamengo.

Paulo Sousa Statistical Overview

A brief statistical overview of his past teams allows us to gain a better understanding of his tactical vision.

Firstly, average possession and passes per 90 quickly stand out.

While neither Fiorentina nor Bordeaux are top contenders in their respective leagues, they averaged around 55-59% possession and roughly 500 passes per 90.

More specifically, however, both teams averaged around 200 lateral passes per 90.

That number is incredibly high and indicative of their patient, possession-based approach.

This patient approach can be further illustrated through Fiorentina’s most frequent passing links shown below.

The thickest lines, or most frequent links, are between defenders and midfielders.

There are also a few trends that signal Sousa’s evolution as a manager towards a more effective approach.

During his first season with Fiorentina, the team had the second-highest number of progressive passes per 90 minutes in Serie A, at 91.72.