Bayern have made a huge tiny mistake
It was definitely a very high-level game as anticipated between Man City and Bayern, the strongest two teams in the world right now according to FiveThirtyEight. Eventually, the score line was mostly decided by individual mistakes but there were many things to talk about regarding the game plans and in-game tweaks.
Let’s start with Bayern’s structure out-of-possession.
Tuchel used 4–2–3–1 to perfectly get the shape with Man City’s on-ball structure. City’s narrow 3–2 build-up was matched with a narrow 3–1, and Goretzka and Kimmich controlling the central channels, 2 center-backs on Haaland, full-backs on wingers.
The narrow tip pushed City to play wider, when the wide center-back receives the ball, the ball side defensive midfielder stuck on City’s attacking midfielder, and opposite defensive midfielder came to the center of the pitch. This left the only numerical advantage for City at the very far corner from the ball carrier. City center-backs tried finding players at that far corner, but couldn’t succeed in long diagonals.
Bayern set their pressing traps when the wide center back passed to the even wider option. Bayern’s best chance in the first half came from a turnover with this press.
In fact, Bayern had a clear plan in offensive transitions. City leaves 5 players for rest defense, with narrow structure, they close the central channels in defensive transitions, however, wider corridors stay open. When Bayern wins the ball at advantageous locations, Coman directly ran to wider corridor, while Sane from the opposite winger came to central region to offer progression support.
When City could break the press and push Bayern to low block, Bayern tried to continue using the same structure.
At one of those times when Bayern tried to settle at low block, Gnabry couldn’t understand that Musiala was thinking they switched and left the zone open for Rodri. It was a situation if Rodri hadn’t hung it to the far corner with his opposite foot, we wouldn’t be talking about, but it happened and it really affected the remaining of the first half as Bayern players struggled to concentrate.
Now, let’s continue with City’s out-of-possession structure and Bayern’s build-up. Guardiola started the game with an asymmetric 4–4–2 structure against Bayern’s 4–2 build-up. Grealish stayed between Upa and Pavard while Bernardo played closer to Davies. This was a bit different than City’s usual pressing structure lately, at which both wingers close down center-backs while shadowing the full-back.
Sommer could easily find Pavard with a lob ball who was available behind Grealish and this created some advantageous situations for Bayern. After that, Grealish started to play deeper and closer to Pavard and City turned into a more flat 4–4–2.
This made the 1st line of pressure to jump on center-backs and losing their coverage to passing lanes to central players. As they lost central players behind them, Gundo and Rodri came closer to them, and Musiala and Gnabry who constantly dropped deep between 2nd and 3rd lines of pressure received the ball and progressed. Bayern wingers’ cuts were also effective to pin Dias and Stones, who hesitated to follow Musiala and Gnabry.
When City’s first line stopped jumping, this time one of Bayern’s defensive midfielder started dropping between center-backs and Bayern started to form a line of 5 over City’s 2nd line of pressure consisting of 4 players.
Around 50–55th minute, Guardiola turned back to the pressing structure he has been using recently, a 4–2–4 with wingers jumping on center-backs while shadowing full-backs, central players in first line closing the link to defensive midfielders. I have to say that on paper this pressing structure looks much more dangerous, because if the opponent can progress through full-backs, there is a lot of space to exploit. While having the score advantage switching to this structure requires a lot of courage, but it was decisive and put Bayern in difficult situation.
The high press turned out to be very effective, forced Bayern players to make mistakes. Mistakes brought more mistakes, first 2nd goal came, and then Bayern players completely lost their concentration and control. After that moment, Bayern could’ve conceded more than one goal.
Eventually two simple mistakes and the change in pressing structure helped City to get a big advantage before the 2nd leg. Tuchel’s game plan was really good and Bayern players did a good job applying it especially at first 30 mins and at the beginning of the second half. However, City players showed great concentration and devotion, they mentally beat their opponents. Guardiola deserved all the plaudits by going with an even more aggressive approach in high press at the 2nd half. When I first saw, I thought it was a big gamble, but it really paid it off.
(Screenshots were edited with Once Video Analyser PRO — https://once.de/)
