THUR, AUGUST 17 2023-theGBJournal |Manchester City, Champions League winners defeated Europa league winners Sevilla on penalties to clinch their first ever UEFA Super Cup.
Youssef En-Nesyri scored in the 25th minute to give Sevilla the lead before youngster Cole Palmer equalized for City in the 63rd minute of the contest.
The game ended 1-1 and went into penalty shootout.
Erling Haaland, teammates Julian Alvarez, Mateo Kovacic, Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker all scored for City while Lucas Ocampos, Rafa Mir, Ivan Rakitic and Gonzalo Montiel converted their spots kicks for Sevilla and Nemanja Gudelj ensured that City won 5-4 on penalties as Pep Guardiola’s side won their first trophy this season.
City would travel back to England to play host Newcastle United on Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, Sevilla will be aiming to avoid three straight losses when they play their La Liga season match away to Alaves on August 21.
City played a 4-2-3-1 formation and they were playing without Kevin De Bruyne (KDB) and Bernardo which means Pep decided to spread the creativity, not playing Alvarez who have deputized for KDB or any out and out wingers means.
Pep wanted those who can dribble, play the ball in the middle, away from the bylines which is Sevilla’s strength, the formation also tried to force errors from Sevilla in the middle of the park, it didn’t work as City players were pushed to the wings and were forced to cross the ball.
They had to improvise and not just cross to the middle but to the far end closer to the edge of the box because Sevilla had man marked City players in the box, cutting off aerial threats.
This change in cross pattern resulted to City equalizer as Palmer and Walker were towards the end of the box.
This formation however exposed City wings as Sevilla quickly played to the wings and dominated there, although the formation allowed Walker to play more like a Rught Centre Back which means he wasn’t mostly focused on stopping the crosses but actually stopping the cross from being utilized.
Sevilla lined up on paper with a 4-2-3-1 diamond formation. When defending Sevilla played 5-3-1-1 with one winger and one striker, this formation was set to push city to the wings and stop their exchange of passes in the middle and also cut out any outside shot or one on one leverage with the keeper.
They also man-marked Haaland from getting aerial advantage when city eventually cross the ball, while also pushing the rest city attackers from heading danger zones.
The formation quickly transitioned to an attacking 5-3-1-2 with Sevilla pushing the ball to the left wing while trying to get the ball across into City eighteen yard box, knowing they have strikers with good aerial ability.
If the ball is missed the midfielders quickly distributed back to the wingers that cross again into the box.
Sevilla came into this match with a game plan which they perfectly executed, the plan was to stop City passes in the middle, force them out wide, make them commit errors then quickly transit the ball to the wings playing counter attack.
The wingers then cross the ball into the middle, poor finishing and lack of luck in penalties stopped Sevilla from getting the title, but they came with a game plan that almost worked.
With Mahrez sold and Bernardo injured, City lacked players capable of dribbling from the wings into the middle and not just crossing the ball, while Palmer is still maturing, Grealish isn’t a typical winger, he knows how to dribble and create but when man marked, he doesn’t really know how to pop up magic.
City need a winger that can dribble, have pace and be a menace for opposition fullbacks
City would be without KDB for some months, they would miss him a lot, this game lacked him.
Foden is still trying to get back on form. Rodri has been relegated more to defensive duties which means City lack that magic moment from the midfield.
The through passes that can unsettle defense and find the attacker is lacking, getting a like for like replacement for KDB is almost impossible but City need someone that can offer what KDB does.
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