Pepe’s Dream became a Team

The ‘Dream Team II’ as been on the entire season at Nou Camp. In his first season as a coach, Josep ‘Pepe’ Guardiola recovered the spirit of Johan’s Cruijff style of play. A lot of us still remember Stoichkov, Bakero, Romário, Koeman, M.Laudrup or… Guardiola giving the planet some of the most offensive displays football can offer. This year – while this kind of comparison is not perfect – the mix between perfect tactics and offensive mentality is back. The only team in a major European championship to score more than one hundred goals, so close to a three goal average per match, secured the title in undisputed fashion and marveled the entire world with an unbelievable short-pass style of play lays in Barcelona.
But comparison’s stop here, while Guardiola has worked with the master in his playing times, he gained a special taste for offensive football but graduated has a real manager by bringing a different tactic. In the paper, Barcelona uses a very typical 4x3x3. But simplicity ends at this point. When in possession - in the defense, the right back (Dani Alves) usually plays more as a winger than back, providing the defensive midfielder (Yaya Toure) to cover the right side, while the left back (Abidal) comes to the centre to make a stronger barrier alongside the two CB (Rafael Marquez, Puyol or Pique). Strangely, this is the place to start building the offense – especially when Marquez is fit, the Mexican his the best CB with the ball and tries to pass it to the two centre midfielders (Iniesta and Xavi) that together make, probably, the best creative midfield in Europe. In the end, the attack line, responsible for more than 90 goals this season Henry stays in the left and goes to the box, Etoo is the striker but usually changes position with Messi that charges from the right to the middle.

Tip: Guardiola’s side has been in incredible offensive form all year long, in line with Barcelona’s fans hopes and desires. To win the league and the Spanish cup in such a young age (his only 38 years old) is a remarkable achievement. But now that he’s in the CL final everything depends on him winning or not the important trophy. If he does it, then his name echoes’ throughout eternity, if he fails no one will remember the amazing shape the blaugrana have displayed. Well its football…