The Technician: analysing trends at the top

Goals, goals, goals. There was an unprecedented flow of them in last season's UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League competitions.

There are a number of theories as to why, all examined in the latest edition of The Technician, UEFA's dedicated coaching supplement included within the digital version of UEFA Direct, available to read now.

An invaluable resource for coaches at all levels, The Technician hears from expert voices such as Belgium coach Roberto Martínez and England's Gareth Southgate, whose in-depth analysis shines a light on some of the key trends from the past year.

Topics addressed in The Technician

- The pressing question: How a successful pressing game entails striking the right balance between risk and reward

- Set-plays: Are coaches spending less time on set-piece routines with the number of goals from that source falling in the Champions League?

Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer showed how adept he was with his feetPOOL/AFP via Getty Images

- Goalkeeping: In a season featuring the new goal-kick rule, Bayern's Manuel Neuer set the standard with his assured footwork

- Goalscoring: How crosses and cutbacks became an important source of goals during the Champions League

Five top stats from the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League

- Winners Bayern top-scored with 43 strikes from their 13 games, with UEFA Men's Player of the Year Robert Lewandowski helping himself to 15

- Bayern's high press led to 44 shots within 15 seconds of winning possession

- The highest proportion of goals were scored between the 76th and 90th minutes

- The 3.24 goals per game were the highest on record, edging out the 2017/18 season's mark of 3.21

- Quarter-finalists Atlético scored 30.8% of their goals from set plays, bucking a trend that saw more goals from open play