Tiago Nunes: The Brazilian manager venturing in Peru’s Sporting Cristal- tactical analysis

Tiago Nunes emerged into the elite of Brazilian football in 2019, leading an exciting Athletico Paranaense side to a fifth-place finish that season. Tiago was not only able to play an exciting brand of attacking football but also used it to develop youngsters. His 2019 Athletico launched the likes of Premier Leagues Bruno Guimarães and former La Liga and Atlético Madrid left-back Renan Lodi.

At the end of the year, Corinthians came after the promising manager, giving him the task of transitioning from a defensive identity into an attacking one. The transition failed early on, and Tiago Nunes was out of a job until taking charge of Grêmio the following year. Replacing club legend Renato Gaúcho proved far too difficult, and Nunes was sacked three months later. A month later, he took control of Ceará, but once again, he struggled to stay on the job for more than a few months.

The promising start to his career was quickly overshadowed by three unsuccessful stints, and Tiago Nunes fell out of favour in the Brazilian managerial scene. Looking for a fresh start, the 43-year-old has recently taken charge of Sporting Cristal in Peru’s Liga 1. Only 10 matches into his tenure, Nunes already has Los Cerveceros playing an exciting style of football. The Peruvian team won two Libertadores qualification ties to secure a spot in the group stage. Domestically, Sporting Cristal have yet to lose, currently sitting two points from first place in the league.

Results aside, Tiago Nunes’ tactics have been grabbing the headlines, with a fluid style of Positional Play. Tiago’s tactics, and his lack of success in Brazil, add fuel to the Positional Play fire in Brazil. Regardless, his courageous decision to leave the country and take a chance elsewhere is admirable.

In this tactical analysis, we will take a deep dive into Tiago Nunes’ tactics at Sporting Cristal. By breaking down the team’s system in possession, this analysis outlines the Positional Play approach taken by the Brazilian manager in Peru. Finally, this analysis will also explore his aggressive defensive system and why it has been so successful.

Organisation

From the very start, it is clear Tiago demands strict organisation from his players. Sporting Cristal begin from a 4-3-3, functioning in a Positional Play philosophy. The positioning and behaviour of the players are clearly guided by a collective ideal, and so far, it has proven extremely successful. While the organisation is strict in an ideal sense, looking to maintain collective order, the organisation on the pitch can be very fluid.

According to Wyscout, the 4-3-3 has been used 30% of the time. There have been variations and adaptations, often depending on the opponent. Against Huracán, for example, Tiago experimented with a line of five at the back. However, after an unsuccessful start, he immediately switched back to a 4-3-3.

In the 4-3-3, especially in possession, there is a clear system where each position has its own function to the side. The wingers work in relation with the fullbacks to provide dynamic width and support in earlier phases of possession. The central midfielders also play an important role in maintaining balance and organisation. To outline Cristal’s structure, we will explore these two dynamics separately.

Stretching the midfield

The midfield trio plays a vital role in the side’s organisation. This organisation is an expansive one, looking to stretch the defensive organisation as much as possible. The 4-3-3 expands with the backline spreading across laterally, as identified in the image below. The fullbacks’ positioning is not necessarily high, still looking to provide initial support in construction.

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