This week the supposed underdogs pulled through in both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League final fixtures, with Chelsea and Villarreal coming out victorious over Manchester City and Manchester United. The Futbol Masterminds break down all of their thoughts from the two finals, including Chelsea's stellar defense, Guardiola's strange tactics, and that crazy … Continue reading Futbol Masterminds – Champions League and Europa League Finals + Managerial Merry Go Round
It is very rare that a major international tournament provides a real shock in the final. Usually, the best teams do progress to the final and the shocks are reserved for the early rounds. World Soccer ranks the United States beating England 1-0 at the 1950 World Cup as the first truly big shock, but the final between Uruguay and Brazil was expected. South Korea beating Italy 2-1 in the 2002 World Cup Round of 16 was a massive shock, but nobody was surprised to see Germany and Brazil in the final. No, shocks are very rarely maintained throughout the tournament, but in 2004, Greece did just that.
What a game. After beating Manchester City twice already this season, Chelsea entered the 2021 UEFA Champions League final with a slight psychological advantage. They absolutely delivered on that promise, winning the match by a score of 1-0. Thomas Tuchel became only the second manager since Jurgen Klopp to beat Pep Guardiola three times in a row, leading his Chelsea team to the Champions League trophy in his first six months in charge. Here is our tactical analysis of the final.
After the season that was, we pick our 'Underrated XI' for the 2020-21 season, in contrast to the PFA Team of the Year, and our Team of the Season.
This past weekend, the 2020-21 Premier League season came to an end, along with all of Europe's top five leagues. In an exciting and dramatic final matchday, Leicester City crashed out of the top four, leaving the Futbol Masterminds to argue about whether or not they "bottled it". The panel also discuss Liverpool's subsequent top four comeback, Harry Kane's impending, or rather unlikely, move away from Tottenham Hotspur, Lille's Ligue 1 title win and Atletico's La Liga title thanks to Luis Suarez. Follow @futbolmasterminds on Instagram to see more of the show and subscribe via Itunes and Spotify!
Since taking over in 2018 from Aston Villa's Dean Smith, Thomas Frank has turned Brentford from an average to below average Championship side, into a nearly unstoppable one, with now two back to back playoff finals in two seasons. Frank's tactics emulate the same principles as some of the world's best managers and teams in the modern era, with unique takes that have turned The Bees into one of the most efficient sides in the division. Even if they can't make it happen in the playoff final for the second year running, Brentford appear as though they will be in the Premier League sometime very soon, due to their excellent recruitment, and Frank's exceptional management and tactics. Here is our tactical analysis of Thomas Frank's Brentford in 2020-21.
Against all the odds, LOSC Lille defied expectations to win the 2020-21 Ligue 1 season. Normally considered a "one-team league", Lille ensured the 2020-21 season would go right down to the final day, where PSG's three season title streak would officially come to an end. Under the influence of Christophe Galtier, Les Dogues conceded just 23 goals and kept an astonishing 21 clean sheets in 38 matches. Their defensive prowess set them on the path to win the league title right from the very opening day of the season, and tactically, they've been one of Europe's most intriguing sides. So with that, here is a tactical analysis of Christophe Galtier's Ligue 1 winning LOSC Lille in 2020-21.
In Thomas Tuchel's first twenty-two games in charge, the Blues lost just two games. It's safe to say, things were going swimmingly in Chelsea's quest to finish in the top four. After an incredible two-leg performance over Real Madrid to reach the UEFA Champions League final, the Blues travelled to Manchester and turned heads with their 2-1 victory over the eventual champions, in a preview of the final to come. Just as the Blues reached their highest point under Thomas Tuchel, they quickly reached their lowest.
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