đź”´Tactical FOCUS
🦅 Florentino-Luis and Enzo Fernandez trying to control PSG’s width process
🧵
🦅 Florentino-Luis and Enzo Fernandez trying to control PSG’s width process
🧵
PSG is probably one of the best teams who know how to control width, to stretch opponent’s defensive lines and attack spaces. That’s why double pivot had specific wide zones to control, so PSG couldn’t end up in numerical superiority.
Enzo Fernandez had to control the left hand side, especially when PSG started build-up phase with short passes between Ramos and Hakimi. PSG had some troubles during the first 15 minutes to find an alternative to use width.
Given Benfica’s high line of pressure, Enzo’s runs to control Marquinhos activity, and consequently PSG’s wide build-up, has been precious to recover the ball high. Florentino Luis stays as holding midfielder in this kind of situation.
Galtier understood that Benfica’s double pivot could cause many troubles in width process in build-up. Vitinha consequently dropped deep without being manmarked. However, Enzo Fernandez continued his high press on Marquinhos, making vertical passes more difficult.
It requires high tactical discipline and great physical abilities to maintain these wide runs to avoid PSG’s numerical superiority. When Enzo Fernandez starts to press, Florentino Luis has to cover central spaces without being too far away (we will see why).
Here it is. In this situation, PSG’s double pivot managed to bypass Benfica’s high pressing. As F.Luis and Fernandez increase distances, Verratti can attack that space and illustrates how good can PSG control width.
On the right hand side, same process, with different roles. Instead of high press, Florentino Luis only drops if Vitinha drops on the touchline.
Same wide triangles implemented out of possession, on the right hand side, and Enzo Fernandez doing that move to reposition as holding midfielder, in case of Mbappe received the ball and could attack central space.
Florentino Luis has been very useful to avoid vertical passes, and his short step-ups prepared him to attack the touch line of PSG insisted on width in build-up (or not)
What I appreciate the most between those midfielders, is the level of coordination they’ve reached in their moves. When Enzo press high, Florentino Luis covers central zones and vice versa.
Benfica’s 4-4-2 in mid third allowed them to manage PSG width due to their physical condition to manage switches of play (on the contrary to Lyon for instance).
Verratti dropping as central defender, Vitinha was the main danger as he moved perfectly into Benfica’s structure. If he receives, he looked for width as much as possible. To avoid that, Enzo-Luis had a clear mission : constant man-marking.
Benfica’s double also utilized width in possession to ease out cross situations. This high positioning was risky given PSG’s front three.
Enzo Fernandez and Florentino Luis’s close distances had many advantages :
- In possession, control the tempo of the build-up.
- Out of possession, ease out central spaces management (especially when Messi decided to drop deep and make devastating runs).
- In possession, control the tempo of the build-up.
- Out of possession, ease out central spaces management (especially when Messi decided to drop deep and make devastating runs).
Benfica can rely on a sound double pivot which manage distances in a very clever way. Even when PSG took advantage in build-up, Enzo and Florentino possess physical abilities to reposition quickly and avoid many dangerous situations for Benfica.
Loading suggestions...