#football-tactics

#football-tactics

"He's incredible. He makes great saves and is also indispensable with his footwork. He's an amazing guy; I consider him one of my best friends," emphasised the midfielder.

Union Berlin has been on a rollercoaster ride since mid-January, with a mix of draws, heavy defeats, and a crucial win against Bayer 04 Leverkusen. They have picked up 19 points against top-half teams, showcasing their ability to compete with stronger sides.

Osimhen has already proven he can lead the line for a title-winning side. His explosive campaign with Napoli showcased everything Bayern Munich typically covets in a striker: pace in transition, aerial dominance, relentless pressing, and a ruthless penalty-box instinct. He stretches defenses vertically in a way few forwards can, forcing back lines deeper and creating space for attacking midfielders to operate between the lines.

These days, the best defensive midfielders in the world tend to be specialists who stay deeper in the engine room. But this was never the case 30 years ago: midfielders tended to chip in to do a little of everything, getting forward when needed and tracking back in reverse. As the role of a DM evolves, it's not unusual that some of the best players in the world right now play at the base of a midfield, given that it's a position that you need vision, awareness and a high IQ so let's delve into what makes a world-class no.6 in 2025.

What is the difference between coaching and managing a team?

Say what you like about Hansi Flick, but the first-team head coach isn't for turning. Win, lose or draw, he clearly won't have his Barça side playing any other way than with the high-risk, high-reward high line. As we saw again at Celta, when it doesn't work and the Blaugranes are so easily exposed, it looks amateurish. However, in the second half, there was a clear indication of how well it can contain opposition teams when used correctly.