Pep Guardiola and Diego Simeone \ – Alone the names are enough to make a picture of which football is playing the teams supervised by them. On the one hand, not only at the sideline catalan, which has prescribed an offensive style and on his previous stations FC Barcelona, Bavaria Munich, and since 2016 Manchester City, an arsenal technically high-gifted player was provided. With exactly orchestrated combination soccer, Guardiola is looking for the way to success.
On the other side of the Argentinean, his focus is on the defensive, whose teams are especially trying to disturb the opponent’s game. And by all means, which also likes Simeone passionately on the sideline. On the way to success, stylistically long balls from a safe cover are allowed out – in Guardiolas Kosmos almost a “no go”.
But in all differences in the play styles Guardiola and Simeone are not dissimilar. Both already already an obsession to detail. Especially in the game preparation, Guardiola as well as Simeone analyze any small little thing that appears so tiny, which could indicate a weakness in the opponent. And even in terms of experience, the two ex-professionals are almost on the same. Guardiola, born in 1971, began in 2007 at the FC Barcelona as coach of second representation; Simeone, born in 1970, a year before in his home at Racing Club.
In view of this long period of time, it is almost surprising that both will face on Tuesday evening (21 clock, live! At Diego Simeone) in the Etihad Stadium only for the fourth time. For the first time, her ways crossed on February 26, 2012, when the Guardiola supervised FC Barcelona in the Spanish League Atletico Madrid in Camp Nou with 2: 1 defeated. In the spring of 2016, it came to the first and so far only comparison of the two coach at European level, when FC Bayern dueled under Guardiola with Atletico in the Champions League semi-final.
Guardiola about Simeone style: “Never in life”
There were two very close duels. Atletico won in the first leg on April 27, 2016 with 1: 0, in the second leg on May 3, the FC Bayern retained 2: 1 the upper hand, but because of the then still applicable away the African Control, the Rojiblancos INSS Final moved. The game in the Allianz Arena can be taken as a blueprint for the game philosophies of both coaches.
The UEFA has a possession of the possession of 68 percent for the Match for Bayern, which played 668 passports during the 90 minutes, of which 591 came to the teammate. Atletico covered only 212 passport attempts, of which only 154 reached the colleagues. Even in the offensive statistics, the dominance of FC Bayern was reflected: 34 shots gave off Bayern actors, twelve went to the Atletico goal. The Madrilen’s self gave only seven shots, of which only four came to the Bayern goal. But one of these four shots sat: Antoine Griezmann refined a counterattack in the 54th minute for the meantime 1: 1. The Ausgrader Hievte was the “Colchoneros” in the final.
In a recent reportage on the streaming platform “Amazon Prime” broadcasts Guardiola remembers more reluctant to this game. “Never in life”, so the catalan, he could prescribe one of his teams such a destructive style. On the other hand, he also raises admiration for the atletico. For “this ability and stamina to resist” as well as for the predisposition to complain at the right moment: “And at some point the bee will sting you.”
They are what they are. And they are able to avoid that you can be the one you are.
Pep Guardiola about Atletico
Now Guardiola offers the chance to return to Simeone and Atletico for the failure of 2016. And the Catalan is already registered that Atletico has lost some of the actually dreaded defensive strength in this season. After 30 matchdays, 37 goals are already available for Atletico in the Spanish league. So many have never been there at this time, since Simeone has been at the turn of the year 2011/12 Atletico coach. By comparison, in the 2015/16 season, his team had just returned to 14 (!) Goals until the 30th matchday.
Nevertheless, Guardiola warns. “They are what they are,” he said after the draw. “And they are able to avoid that you can be the one you are. That’s the greatest quality of Atletico.”