Tactical Analysis

Juventus met Benfica at the Allianz Stadium in Turin for a decisive UEFA Champions League fixture for I Bianconeri, since their qualification to the knockout rounds was directly linked to their success in this match. Juventus succeeded in winning convincingly despite some errors and weaknesses that can be fixed over...

Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League group stage fixture between Qarabağ FK and Eintracht Frankfurt evolved into a riveting matchup far beyond the final scoreline of 3–2. In Baku, under the guidance of Qarabağ’s long-serving coach Gurban Gurbanov and Eintracht Frankfurt’s new interim boss Dennis Schmitt, both sides committed to distinct tactics shaped...

This tactical analysis of Brighton vs Bournemouth in the Premier League 2025/2026 examines a clash of contrasting game models at the Amex Stadium. Fabian Hürzeler’s Brighton dominated possession and territory for large periods, while Andoni Iraola's side combined aggressive first-half pressing with a deep second-half low block in an attempt...

The role of full-backs playing in a back four can be one of, if not the most, tactically fluid positions on the pitch.  Even within the same formation, across any league on any given matchday, you will see full-backs being asked to take up various positions on the field and...

An eventful AFCON final ended with a 1-0 win for Senegal over Morocco, thanks to a goal scored in extra time, following a very entertaining game that could have gone either way. The Atlas Lions had an excellent tournament and were convincing in most of their encounters, but failed to...

Barcelona arrived at Anoeta with the intention of confirming their strong start to the year and maintaining a four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, after the capital side had won their respective match. The context, however, was far from simple: awaiting them was a Real...

Saturday's Manchester Derby delivered far more than just another fixture in the Premier League calendar; it was a compelling emotional matchup in motion between Manchester United and Manchester City. The two teams, respectively under the watchful eyes of newly appointed interim manager Michael Carrick and Pep Guardiola, approached this contest...

RB Leipzig hosted Bayern Munich in Gameweek 18 of the 2025/2026 Bundesliga season, losing 5-1. Although they took the lead during the first half and dominated in terms of big chances (five) and shots (nine), the Bavarians put forth a display of their quality and ruthlessness, scoring five goals in the...

PSG continue their journey towards the top spot. They are battling RC Lens for the lead, with one point separating the two after PSG’s 3-0 win over Lille. The game witnessed a powerful performance from PSG’s attacking line, as the team forced Lille into decisive mistakes and capitalised on them, thanks to...

It’s been a thrilling Africa Cup of Nations, and we have a heavyweight clash in the AFCON 2025 Final between two of the best teams in Africa: Senegal and Morocco. Senegal made it to the final after a late Sadio Mané goal got them past Egypt a goal to nil. They’ve...

Chelsea hosted Arsenal at Stamford Bridge for the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-finals and lost 2-3 to the Gunners. Arsenal looked more in control of the game, especially during the first part, before Chelsea were capable of bouncing back progressively but failed to equalise. Arsenal have achieved impressive...

The usual order in the Bundesliga seems to have been restored after the first half of the 2025/2026 season. Borussia Dortmund are back in second place behind FC Bayern, finding form again under Niko Kovač and climbing up the table. The game that concluded the first half of the Bundesliga...

Eddie Howe has overseen one of the most impressive transformations in modern Premier League history since arriving at Newcastle United. He inherited a side fighting relegation and reshaped it into one defined by intensity, physical dominance, and emotional energy. The Toon became one of the most challenging teams to face...

Inter Milan hosted Napoli for the 19th fixture of Serie A, and the clash ended with a 2-2 draw that keeps Inter Milan at the top of the standings but makes the standings even more challenging for everyone. With this draw, Napoli are now tied for third with Juventus, knowing...

Luciano Spalletti attracted a lot of media attention when he formed a very strong team at Napoli, which won the Scudetto in 2022/2023. A Scudetto many people did not see coming to Napoli, but rather Inter Milan, AC Milan, or Juventus. After one season at Napoli and one Scudetto, he...

Manchester City were coming off back-to-back draws and desperate for three points to keep pace with Arsenal at the top of the table. Brighton had been on their own bad run coming into the match. Their win over Burnley this weekend was their first win in seven matches, as they...

Burnley hosted Manchester United in Gameweek 21 of the 2025/2026 Premier League season, and the match ended with an entertaining 2-2 draw that does not serve the Red Devils that much. Manchester United’s sudden change of head coach and appointment of Darren Fletcher as an interim coach suggests that a...

The Premier League is in its busy winter phase, which is often one of the most decisive periods of the season. On Wednesday, two struggling teams trying to salvage their seasons met, with AFC Bournemouth hosting Tottenham Hotspur in Gameweek 21. Both teams have struggled over the last couple of...

Dead-ball situations frequently prove decisive in the battle for promotion from Spain's second tier.  In a division where matches are regularly decided by narrow margins, a reliable corner-kick routine can crucially yield between eight and 12 goals over the course of a season. This is a return that often separates...

Marco Silva began his senior coaching career at Estoril (2011/2014), managing 116 matches with 1.66 PPM, building his reputation in Portugal. He stepped up to Sporting CP (2014/2015), coaching 53 matches at 2.08 PPM, showing immediate impact at a bigger club. He moved to Olympiacos (2015;2016), where he delivered his...