Champions League Performance Insights: How Dortmund's runs undid Atalanta
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UEFA Technical Observer Steve Holland analyses the structure which enabled Dortmund's defenders to play successful passes forward and the movement of their front players.
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"We worked very hard on some things that we did well tonight." That was the verdict of Niko Kovač, the Borussia Dortmund coach, after his team's first-leg victory over Atalanta in this week's UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-offs.
Dortmund's 2-0 success was one of those happy occasions when, for a coach, the plan comes to fruition. In the following analysis, UEFA's game insights unit, working with UEFA Technical Observer Steve Holland, will explore the two key aspects of Kovač's plan: first, the structure which enabled Dortmund's defenders to play successful passes forward, and then the movement of their front players to open up the Atalanta defence.
This attacking organisation was pivotal to them disrupting Atalanta's man-marking and taking control of the tie – and offered a lesson on how opposite movements can disrupt opponents playing 1v1 across the pitch.
To start with Dortmund's passing from the back, this graphic illustrates the longer balls from goalkeeper Gregor Kobel and his defenders, from their half, which found a yellow shirt higher up the pitch. Dortmund played more successful long passes of this kind (26) than in any previous match in this campaign, with ten of them from centre-back Ramy Bensebaini alone.
The first video offers examples of Dortmund's +1 when building from the back. By creating a clear 4v3 in the build-up, this allowed them to get the ball to a free player who was then able to play it forward, under less pressure, to the front line to those players performing opposite movements.
According to Odilon Kossounou, Atalanta's right-sided centre-back, this was the crux of the difficulties the Italian team faced on Tuesday night. "They played a lot of vertical balls and then they moved a lot," he said.
Dortmund's linebreaking runs
This second graphic shows that Dortmund's players attempted 63 line-breaking runs beyond Atalanta's defensive line – more than in any previous Champions League game this season. Indeed, the most they had attempted in the league phase was 53, against Athletic Club and Manchester City, which points to this being a specific tactic for Tuesday's game against opponents with a man-marking system.
To be specific, these were linebreaking runs made during moments when Dortmund were in their attacking organisation phase, against Atalanta's man-marking. The aim was to cause disruption and create spaces, through their attacking players pulling around the Atalanta defenders.
UEFA Technical Observer Steve Holland explained: "By one player coming short and attracting the defender, you’re creating a space, though someone's then got to recognise the space and time their run into it, and then the ball's got to be delivered. To get all of that correctly synchronised with the right quality is not so easy."
The second video shows how Dortmund's opposite movements helped bring about their two goals. An additional point from Holland was that, in addition to their clever runs to create gaps, the home attackers were also largely able to get into the box to finish moves off.
Holland said: "Sometimes when you're asking players to make runs into wide and deep positions and drag defenders out of position, the flipside can be that you end up short on numbers in the box. But they did it really well – they filled the box as well as creating gaps in the attack."
The second clip, showing the opening goal by Serhou Guirassy, – which is analysed separately here – displays this point perfectly by showing six Dortmund players in the box.
Summing up his team's approach, Dortmund captain Julian Brandt said: "We were very active and moved very well. We knew that Atalanta would defend one on one. We moved out of position a lot, which led to Maxi's [Beier] goal. We were able to run into space and play the ball."
Coaching reflection – Steve Holland on creating space for others
Borussia Dortmund gave us an example this week of the importance of unselfish runs to create space and disrupt opposition defences and, as UEFA Technical Observer Steve Holland affirms, this is a skill that elite youth players need to develop.
He explained: "For there to be a space for somebody to arrive in, somebody's got to run away from where the ball's going to be.
"Young players, particularly, tend to think of how they can get the ball so it's important to embed this kind of principle that ultimately would transfer to the Champions League stage. It's the ultimate team challenge – the unselfishness of doing something for another member of the team or for the benefit of the collective."
To develop this skill, Holland recommends the above drills which can be used together, progressing from one to the other, or in isolation. They will support the principles discussed in this article and increase younger players' understanding of this aspect of the game.
5v5 – Rules of the Game
• Score 1 point for having a foot on ball in the end zone
• No offside
• Unlimited touches, but only 2 touches for GK
• GK only plays in possession
Holland said: "The first drill is five-a-side and it begins with the basics of creating space for others in small spaces and has the value of allowing for lots of repetition of the fundamentals."
"With the progression to eight-a-side, you're adding more players and challenging your players to solve more complex situations," Holland added. "By adding offside, the scenario is closer to the reality of a game which tests further those opposite movements and the detail of the passing. From there, you can then progress further to 11-a-side if you have the available players."
8v8 – Same rules but with modifications
• Offside applies
• Unlimited touches
• GK has 2 touches and only plays in possession
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