[LDC] FINALE PSG - INTER MILAN

How Luis Enrique’s PSG Crushed Inter with Pure Tactics

PSG kicked the ball out at the beginning for a throwing and applying pressure in Inter Milan's half. For the majority of first half, Inter sat in a 5 3 2 deep shape. The 3 midfielders would try to screen any ball to Dembélé while the 2 forwards would try to close down the center backs. But PSg rotations mean that they rarely ressemble the 4 3 3 they start on paper. At the back in possession, PSG would always look to keep a line of 3. At times it was formed with the 2 center backs and the left back Mendes but most of the time, it was Vitinha that dropped into this pocket of space in the left hand side. It frees up a gap in the center that can be filled in different ways qhich subsequently frees up more gaps as PSg moves up the pitch. It meant firstly that Mendes could push either on the wing or in the half space to give support to Kvara. This allows PSG to have instantly 2 players out wide on each flank, meaning that as they circulate possession from side to side, it was nearly impossible for Inter Milan's wingbacks to effectively close them down and were getting constantly overrun. The wide center backs are often forced out of their line to help out but as the phase of possession continues, it eventually leaves gaps in behind the wingbacks and the rest of the defense where PSG can move into. Most of PSg progression would come in from these positions out wide and would slowly move further and further up the pitch. From here, it was total control for PSG. They would keep players out wide on both flanks to stretch the pitch and there were an incredible amount of rotations in the center. In Enrique's system, the key focal point in attack is Dembélé, who is not fixed in the center and he can move all over the defensive line and even into the midfield as PSG rotate. And as he moves, the players around him also adapt and pick up the vacant spaces.
So it doesn't take long before all the players are in completly different positions from where they started. And this is what we saw with PSG's opening goal. The move starts by regaining possession high up the pitch thank to their press. From here we can see how the players have already rotated slightly with the right winger due now playing down the middle and Dembélé in the right half space. Kvara pushes forward and seems as if Inter's intructions were to double up on him at least, because the whole of Inter's defense and midfield gets packed into the box. A quick combination with Fabian Ruiz and VItinha can receive the ball with no player immediatly ready to apply pressure. A perfectly timed run from Doué into the space and Inter could not stop his pass into Hakimi who finishes off the move brillantly. This early goal sets up the tone for the rest of the match. The moments Inter tried to get higher up the pitch, they got instantly exposed to the speed and efficiency at which PSG could counter. The second goal highlights that. PSg's pressing shape was probably the main reason of why they were so dominant in this final. After the Inter Barcelona semi final, one of the biggest criticism Hansi Flick received was about over using the high line and how it left them exposed of Inter's style of play. PSG did the same thing but with the difference being the intensity with which they close down the goalkepeer. Inter Milan is a team who can be fluid on possession with players rotating and picking up different positions and with these, they can quickly expose teams. But Sommer needs time on the ball to drag the opposition's press out of shape and find the right pass. And that night,
Dembélé simply gave Sommer no time to make a proper decision. His press was relentless and he sprinted towards the goalkepper for almost the entirety of the time he was on the pitch which forced Inter to either try to beat the press and play out from the back, only to realize they had no free option ahead of them, or playing long balls for the attacking duo Thuram and Martinez. Generally speaking those 2 did a decent job at winning some of these aerial duels. But because they had little support around them and the rest of PSG's defense would instantly drop to cover any run forward, these attacks quickly vanished into nothing. The only real threat from Inter going forward was when they gained a corner or a free kick in a deep position. And even from these positions, PSG were able to defend very effectively. After being down 2 0, Inter had to choose between trying to build from the back only for them to go long almost every time, either try and press PSG high up the pitch and become increasingly exposed to transitions. And that's exactly what happened in the second half. Inter kept leaving bigger and bigger gaps between the lines as the game went on. Doué's goal to make it 3 - 0 demontrates it perfectly. Vitinha moves the ball into the center and Inter are out of balance into their press, trying to close down the players ahead of them but not aware of the gap in behind. Dembélé could then drop and drag Acerbi out of position and then with a brillant heel back pass, finds Vitinha on the overlpa, swiftly moving the ball out wide into Doué who finishes off the move. Kvara's goal to make it 4 - 0 came from a transition while Mayulu's goal to make it 5 - 0 was once again after a structured move through the lines and into the box. From the control in possession, the relentless press and the speed of the transitions this was one of the most dominant and controlling performance in history of UCL finals.