Football Dynasty

In the 1990s, one clear trend in football was the increasing rationality in formation structures, with a decrease in the number of forwards and an increase in midfield players.

Why was this the case? Beyond changes in the rules, the most important factor was tactical innovation.

Just as Arsenal had once employed the WM formation in the 1930s, Italy introduced the catenaccio in the 1960s, and the Netherlands showcased Total Football in the 1970s, the 1990s also had its share of evolutions. Yet in today's game, it has become almost impossible to witness a true tactical revolution. The world has entered a synchronized era, where the most popular systems are studied, copied, and adapted everywhere, leaving little room for anyone to surprise.

Still, from time to time, certain countries or clubs operating outside the mainstream may dazzle us with unconventional approaches—such as North Korea's bizarre 3-3-1 formation. But from another perspective, their refusal to synchronize with global trends allows for these eccentric innovations, even if they often fail.

Some clubs, too, have attempted tactical experiments that later became heavily imitated once proven successful.

And as everyone knows, in football the roles of the number 9, the number 10, and even the hybrid 9.5 have long been celebrated and clearly defined. Yet the number 4 shirt carried less clarity, often shifting between a defensive stopper, a sweeper, or a deep-lying midfielder—until a Dutch visionary redefined it at Barcelona.

That man was Johan Cruyff.

Through his tactical philosophy, Cruyff reimagined how space and control could be dictated from deep, and in doing so, he entrusted the role to a young Catalan midfielder: Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola became the metronome of Cruyff's "Dream Team," a side that claimed four consecutive La Liga titles (1991–1994) and delivered Barcelona's first-ever European Cup in 1992.

He was not the most physically imposing player, nor the most flamboyant, but he had a unique vision of the game—receiving the ball, dictating tempo, and acting as the pivot through which every attack flowed. Cruyff's gamble had worked, and in doing so, the number 4 position was redefined into what we now know as the "deep-lying playmaker."

The memory of that Dream Team was still fresh in people minds, and the philosophy Cruyff embedded at La Masia did not vanish with him.

It was carried forward, later finding its heirs in the form of Pep Guardiola and later Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta, who would eventually step into the first team and perfect the role Guardiola once pioneered.

And it all started with Louis van Gaal, who would later integrate young talents into the first team, handing opportunities to the likes of Xavi Hernández, Carles Puyol, and later Andrés Iniesta—just as he had once trusted teenagers like Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Kluivert, and Edwin van der Sar at Ajax.

There's an old saying in European football: some teams should never be underestimated, no matter how strong your first-leg result might be. Clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, and above all, Barcelona, fall into that category.

In the first leg, Manchester City had secured an impressive 3–1 victory away at the Camp Nou. Many believed the second leg at Maine Road would be a mere formality, with City expected to dominate once again.

But they were wrong.

Barcelona XI: Goalkeeper Vítor Baía; defenders Sergi, Abelardo, Ferrer, Nadal; midfielders Guardiola, De La Peña, Popescu, Luis Enrique, forwards Giovanni, Rivaldo

Manchester City XI: Goalkeeper Buffon; defenders Zanetti, Gallas, Thuram, Steve Finnan; midfielders Makalele, Zidane, Pires, Okocha; forwards Ronaldo, Larsson.

You could see one clear difference in Barcelona's lineup: Pep Guardiola, who had previously been injured, was now back in the starting eleven.

In the first leg, Iván de la Peña played more like a box-to-box midfielder, pushing forward into attacking areas. But in this match, it was Guardiola who dictated the rhythm from deep—calm on the ball, always available for a pass, and seamlessly connecting defense to attack with effortless precision.

The dialogue between strong teams is the focal point of tactical battles, as the overall strength of both sides is closely matched.

This makes the formations chosen by the coaches particularly intriguing, as they directly impact the outcome of the match. The fact that Van Gaal employed a 4-4-2—just like Manchester City—naturally carried its own meaning.

Each winger is directly tested against his opposite fullback, each striker matched with a center-back, and most importantly, the midfield becomes a chessboard where the game can be won or lost.

For Barcelona, having Guardiola back at the base of midfield provided a stabilizing influence, ensuring their 4-4-2 didn't just mirror City's, but sought to outthink it. Meanwhile, City leaned on the steel of Makelele and the craft of Zidane to wrestle for control of the same central ground.

With both sides canceling each other out in shape, it was not the formation itself that would decide the contest, but how well the players could impose their identities within it.

Both teams had nearly identical attacking patterns, focusing on winning the midfield battles, transitioning quickly through the center, and then exploiting defensive gaps down the flanks.

For Manchester City, that responsibility fell to Pires and Okocha, while Barcelona relied on Figo and Luis Enrique.

PHWEEEEE~!

Richard watched from the director's box as Figo sped past Steve Finnan with the ball, his heart sinking as he muttered to himself, "Damn it!"

Coincidentally, the sudden illness of Cannavaro and Capdevila before the match had forced City to replace them with Gallas and Finnan.

Figo was a player who thrived on dribbling and creativity. He left everything on the pitch, and every time he dropped back to receive the ball along the flank, the entire stadium lit up with excitement.

He wasn't just a traditional winger hugging the touchline; he often cut inside. Combined with Rivaldo, Luis Enrique, and Guardiola, it was truly devastating. For the first time, Manchester City began to panic.

From the stands overlooking the entire field, spectators could clearly see that whenever Figo picked up the ball, he forced the Manchester City defense to retreat quickly, creating the illusion that he was dragging the entire stadium sideways with him.

Richard had lost count of how many times Figo had tormented Finnan down the left flank.

Out of sheer frustration, Finnan shoved him with both hands, but Figo stumbled, recovered his balance, and kept the ball alive just before it rolled out of play.

On the touchline, Mourinho seethed. Before the match, he had been crystal clear: stop the wingers from cutting inside. Just as in the first leg, the plan was to neutralize Barcelona's Giovanni and Rivaldo. Figo and Enrique, he assumed, would hug the touchline and whip in crosses from wide.

And that was exactly what was happening. After brushing past Finnan, Figo looked to cut inside, but Gallas read the move and shut down the channel. Forced wide, Figo burst to the byline and delivered a vicious cross.

Giovanni met it at the near post with a glancing header, but Buffon reacted superbly—springing to his left, deflecting the ball away with one hand.

It had been destined for the top corner, but Buffon's save kept City alive. The rebound fell right in front of him, and with ice-cold composure, he cushioned it with his foot before hammering a clearance downfield.

In midfield, Makelele tracked De La Peña and Popescu, but Barcelona's relentless central push left City's defense scrambling.

Aerial duels were never Makelele's forte, and Popescu had already stolen the best position under the descending ball. Makelele pointed urgently, signaling Zidane to pick up De La Peña.

Popescu flicked it on with his head. De La Peña was waiting. Zidane, backtracking desperately, lunged clumsily from behind, but De La Peña brushed him aside, accelerating into space.

Makelele could only retreat, trying to compress the space, while Zidane, cursing his mistake, spun and chased frantically.

De La Peña carried the ball forward before sliding it to the left flank for Enrique. Guardiola and Popescu burst ahead, pulling City's defenders out of shape, while Nadal surged forward too, further stretching the line.

Enrique drove at Zanetti. Rivaldo, still catching up from the earlier phase, trailed behind, leaving Enrique in a one-on-one duel. A feint, a sudden burst of pace—Zanetti was beaten. Enrique whipped in a knee-high cross, sharper and more dangerous than before.

At first glance, it looked aimed for Giovanni at the near post, where Thuram was locked in battle. But the ball's curve carried further. Makelele had tracked back but was caught between closing down De La Peña and covering the gap.

Then, in an instant, Barcelona overloaded the box. Giovanni's run pulled Thuram deeper, Guardiola and Popescu lurked menacingly, and Rivaldo—free at the edge of the area—timed his surge perfectly.

The Brazilian unleashed a thunderous strike. His boot connected cleanly, sending the ball screaming toward goal. Buffon, lowering his stance, was ready—reading it as a saveable shot.

But fate intervened. Thuram, throwing himself into a block, stuck out a leg. The ball clipped his calf, spinning violently away from Buffon's reach and into the far corner.

The Frenchman froze, eyes wide in disbelief. Buffon, wrong-footed, could only gape as the net rippled.

The stadium fell silent.

Manchester City 0 – 1 Barcelona

Aggregate: Manchester City 3 – 2 Barcelona

The game is still on!

Barcelona's players wasted no time celebrating. Rivaldo snatched the ball from the net, sprinting with his teammates back to the center circle.

That was the champion's mentality.

"Goal! Rivaldo's strike takes a wicked deflection off Thuram! Technically, it won't go down as an own goal—the shot was on target—but without that touch, Buffon might have saved it. Incredible! Barcelona lead on the night, and the tie has come alive again!"