Barcelona, in Madrid, won 2-1, but it was Atlético who qualified for the Champions League semi-finals because they won the first game 2-0. Both matches were decided in the details. Barcelona, as always, dominated both games and created more scoring chances, however, as usual, they conceded goals because they played with a very advanced defense and did not have high-quality defenders. There was a lack of balance, which represses, but is often necessary.
Atlético de Madrid, following coach Simeone’s style of taking little risk, will face Arsenal, who eliminated Sporting de Portugal. The English team is going through a technical fall. They even reduced goals from set pieces, 30% of all goals scored, one of the team’s strengths. PVC, who knows all the statistics and deeply understands football, said that 32% of Palmeiras’ goals are also scored this way. It’s a modern trend, widely practiced by all teams.
Arsenal faces Manchester City this Sunday (19) in the English Championship. Arsenal are six points clear of City, but have played a game more. Guardiola, after a prolonged team slump, rebuilt the team, which is playing very well.
No game is decided by a single reason, nor by a single success or error, although many insist on finding a single explanation for victories and defeats. Opinions change quickly.
PSG and Bayern, two great teams, make the other semi-final. There is no favorite. PSG, the current European champion, returned to playing very well after a technical fall. The French team’s defense is more protected than Bayern’s.
The German team, in a game with seven goals (4 to 3), as expected due to the quality of the attacks, eliminated Real Madrid. In today’s football, one of the great pleasures is seeing the best teams playing in attack. Vinicius Junior performed very well. His positioning on the left, without needing to return to score, helps Ancelotti in the national team’s lineup.
The technician has two alternatives. One, which he used against France and in previous matches, with Vini in the center of the attack, Martinelli on the left (Raphinha would occupy this position), Luís Henrique or Estevão on the right and Matheus Cunha as a midfielder advanced in the center, close to Vinicius Junior.
In the other formation, in the good performance against Croatia, Vini played on the left, but without composing to score, João Pedro as a center forward, Luís Henrique on the right and Matheus Cunha further back, protecting the left defensive side and forming a trio in midfield with Casemiro and Danilo. Matheus Cunha is not a star, but he has a lot of physical strength, speed and collective posture, capable of scoring and attacking.
In recent years, Brazil has started to develop good midfielders, capable of playing well from one midfielder to another, such as Bruno Guimarães, Paquetá, Danilo, Andreas Pereira. Matheus Cunha has the characteristics of a striker, but at Manchester United and in the national team he adapted very well to a new position. In modern football, there is no longer any point in dividing the midfield between shirt 5, shirt 8 and shirt 10.
One of Ancelotti’s qualities is having common sense, a rare virtue, to change details before and during matches.
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