The players on both sides were already standing on the pitch, and the Leeds United players couldn’t help but glance at the referee, Tom Henning. They all wanted to know, how could their head coach let everyone pay attention to this referee and not let this guy catch anything?

However, since Zhong Cheng said this, everyone took it seriously and would not give this fellow any chance to attack.

It was at this moment that Tom Henning blew the whistle at the beginning of the match.

The Barcelona side had a strong Barcelona style at the start of the game, but it was also branded with a strong Guardiola.

Yes, Guardiola’s team is demanding possession to the extreme!

Yes, since Cruyff came to Barcelona, he has brought the genes that emphasize ball control here. Previous coaches might not have paid much attention to this, but Barcelona used this technique from the first team to the youth training camp in La Marcia. Passing, passing and possession of the ball were particularly important.

However, Rijkaard has taken possession of the ball to a very important position since arriving in Barcelona. After Guardiola arrived, he pushed this “ball control theory” to its limit.

During Rijkaard’s time, Barcelona had an average of 55-65 percent possession. After Guardiola took over Barcelona, Barcelona’s possession of the ball reached 70%-80% of the game is everywhere.

Yes, in the La Liga you often see players from Barcelona keeping the ball and attacking the opponent for a long time. It is very difficult for the opponent to get the ball.

This is one of the most obvious changes Guardiola has made since accepting Barcelona.

Although it was a continuation of Rijkaard’s tactical system, or rather the succession of Cruyff’s Barcelona system, he pushed it to the extreme.

Also, Guardiola continues Rijkaard’s high-intensity close-up, ball-free running and emphasis on full-back assists.

Guardiola strongly agreed with Rijkaard on these three points. Of course, this was Barcelona’s inherent tactical system, but Rijkaard had made him a complete tactical system with his own brand. Guardiola is a continuation and pushes him to another level.

Of course, after taking over Barcelona, Guardiola also upgraded and modified Rijkaard’s tactical system, or the traditional Barcelona tactical system, deeply branding it as his Guardiola.

The most important thing is the use of “4” players.

Here at Guardiola, the “4” players are very important, that is, the traditional back position of the players. Players in this position have to retreat frequently to play in a centre-back position, allowing Barcelona players to change formations when attacking, 3-4-3 and so on. In this way, it can ensure that Barcelona’s two full-backs assist at the same time, creating a numerical advantage, and have more shooting points and more running routes in the front court to attract the attention of the opponent’s defense …

Actually, Zhong Cheng was also using this point. He often kicked a centre-back behind his back.

However, the requirements of these two people were still quite different!

In Zhong Cheng’s tactics, the ability to run and sweep at the back was the most important. Not only was he able to drag himself back to play at centre-back sometimes, but he also had to have a strong coverage of the backcourt, a strong ability to predict and intercept.

What Guardiola emphasized here was a supplement to the defensive line, forming a complete three-man defensive system, giving the two wing-backs more opportunities to insert forward assists. Moreover, he had to have some ability to organize his attacks in this position, and he also had to have a decent passing ability.

Therefore, although Zhong Cheng and Guardiola both needed to be dragged back to become centre-backs. However, there were still many differences in emphasis between the two. This was the difference in tactical philosophy between the two coaches.

Evidently, Guardiola’s strategy was to put more emphasis on offense, increase the range of two full-backs’ forward assists, and even float in the front court for a long time to form a partial advantage in numbers, so as to break through the opponent’s defensive line.

This is also the reason why the side shows Barcelona have a long possession time. There are more people in the front court, more choices of catching and shooting points, and they have enough tacit understanding. If that is the case, their possession rate will be difficult to imagine.

Guardiola’s No. 4 player is important in offense and counterattack. He can directly take the ball forward, he is equivalent to a centre-back attacking directly …

Of course, Guardiola’s transformation of Barcelona still had a lot to do, and it was not something that could be made clear in one or two sentences. If he really wanted to say it, then it would really be a lengthy discussion.

Guardiola’s arrangement, movement, insertion, support and so on were enough to do a few analysis and tutorials of offensive tactics.

The most eye-catching feature was the Formless Formation!

Barcelona centre-forward Eto’o often drifts to the left or right and rarely stands straight at the centre. Because he wanted to create more interspersed runs, attract the attention of defenders, and so on.

Actually, the most important thing was to leave more space for Leo Messi, the fake number nine, to give Messi more space. And give Leo Messi, Harvey and Iniesta more opportunities to connect …

Therefore, Barcelona’s tactics are actually very complicated.

However, at present, Guardiola’s tactical characteristics are very clear.

Possession of the ball, emphasizing complete control of football. For Guardiola, controlling football is controlling the source of life, controlling initiative.

When Barcelona controlled the ball, the changes in Barcelona’s formation were very obvious. Most of the time, their two full-backs are both playing at the same time, changing the formation into 3-4-3, or even 3-2-5, and so on.

Especially when it came to 3-2-5. Leeds United’s defenders were under a lot of pressure. There were too many opponents and they were running non-stop. This was a lot of pressure on their defenses.

Leeds United’s high-intensity, high-pressure defense is a bit unbearable!

Fortunately, the Leeds United players are more mature and now they know how to deal with teams like Barcelona.

The Leeds United players have clearly stepped up pressure and fouls!

Yes, the Leeds United players received a request from Zhong Cheng to destroy the ball and prevent the Barcelona players from easily passing it down. But also oppressive and intimidating Barcelona, causing fear in Barcelona.

From the beginning of the game, it was almost all Barcelona people who were in possession of the ball. The Leeds United players were fouling and the Barcelona man had been knocked down by the Leeds United players several times in the first five minutes of the game.

Leeds United are particularly tight on Leo Messi’s defenses.

Zhong Cheng reminded the Leeds United players that they couldn’t tolerate Leo Messi. If they wanted to foul, they had to be more thorough. Don’t be indecisive. This little flea-like character, if you hesitate for a moment, you won’t have a chance, and he will slip you away.

Therefore, the players of Leeds United played according to Zhong Cheng’s arrangement. Therefore, during this period of time, Messi was violated a bit seriously. Basically, he was knocked down as soon as he took the ball, and there was almost no chance to take the ball with him.

The Leeds United players were also very good at fouling and didn’t make much of a move. Referee Tom Messi is not easy to brag about because Leeds United’s players are too skinny for Leo Henning.

Moreover, Leeds United’s players were knocked down without giving Leo Messi a chance to get close to the Leeds United box. Zhong Cheng had said this, not to give the Barcelona man too good a free-kick opportunity, let alone Tom Henning’s chance to play.

Therefore, the Barcelona man had played very awkwardly during this period of time!

After the Barcelona man passed the ball to the centre-back, Zhong Cheng let a Diego Milito disturb him in the front court, not letting the Leeds United players press down on him. And Leeds United’s defensive line is very intact, even if the Barcelona man keeps running back and forth, there really aren’t many chances to tell the truth.

Guardiola frowned. This was a very serious problem!

It was the same saying that Guardiola had taken over Barcelona for too short a time, less than a season. Barcelona has yet to be completely reinvented, and it has yet to reach the level of the Cosmos Squad.

There are still some problems, but it will take more time and effort from Guardiola.

Guardiola’s eyebrows were constantly raised when he saw this. Zhong Cheng was really very powerful. Although his team looked very dirty and played a dirty soccer game that was mainly devastating, you have to say that Leeds United were very good at letting go, their strength and hardness were very high, and their oppressiveness was suffocating.

Even teams with Barcelona’s ability to control the ball felt suffocated. It could only be said that Zhong Cheng had built Leeds United very well.

Guardiola frowned. His Barcelona had a problem, a serious problem.

The two sides played 0-0 in the first leg. Guardiola did not have much of a choice for Nalez United. Now it seemed to be the time for the two sides to play in the first leg. Barcelona would find it difficult to penetrate the defence of Nalez United!

Guardiola kept shaking his head. Zhong Cheng is really strong. Could this be my mortal enemy?

Guardiola signaled for Barcelona players to move more, to increase penetration and to tear apart Leeds United’s defensive line.

“Pretty good. Loria’s defense is really strong. Even a team as abnormal as Barcelona doesn’t have many chances to defend against them. Loria is really amazing!” Eddie Gray praised sincerely.

“Eh! Eh! The ball was suddenly cut off in the front court. The pie fell from the sky and was about to hit Leeds United!” Mark Lawrenson suddenly cried out in alarm, his voice extremely loud.

All the Leeds United fans present were surprised and their eyes lit up.

“Nice, cut! Diego Milito cut off the ball from the front court. He cut off the pass that Marquis gave Harvey. Winger Cristiano Ronaldo quickly moved forward. Nice cross, Leeds United chance!” Eddie Gray roared excitedly.

All the Barcelona fans took a deep breath and were very nervous.

The Barcelona defenders were so nervous that their hair stood on end because Cristiano Ronaldo was too fast.

Danger!

Diego Milito pushed the ball to the side and gave Cristiano Ronaldo space to sprint.

Cristiano Ronaldo sprinted forward like a sharp dagger into the heart of Barcelona!