UEFA Europa League Performance Insights: How Real Sociedad and Manchester United created and managed chaos
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
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UEFA Technical Observer Rui Faria looks at Real Sociedad's first-leg draw against Manchester United and explains how long balls from the goalkeepers caused chaos.
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UEFA Technical Observer Rui Faria analyses the UEFA Europa League round of 16 first leg in San Sebastian, where Manchester United's game plan worked for 70 minutes, before a penalty brought Real Sociedad back into a tight contest.
In a previous article, Faria concluded with the impact of La Real's Icelandic substitute Orri Óskarsson, who benefited from transitions following long United goal kicks.
Unstructured play and chaos
As a result of these kicks, play was squeezed into small areas of unstructured play and chaos, with both teams briefly out of their organised defensive shapes. The graphic shows the large number of passes over 40 metres delivered by goalkeepers Álex Remiro and Andre Onana. Long passes from the two keepers accounted for 54% of the total long passes in the match, but why? In the first video we see Onana hit one such pass.
The logic behind going long
"Real Sociedad pressure here to reduce time and space," explains Faria. "This forces Onana to play long and risk losing possession, which is what happens. But then United win the ball, though Real Sociedad keep the pressure to recover the ball again and take the ball out of the pressure zone, finding a free player that is ready to attack the goal. Taking the ball out of the zone which had the most density of players and attacking the goal was key."
Teams play long for various reasons. They can be forced to, for one, by a high press where opponents are looking for a turnover of possession. They can try to beat that press and a long ball can be a possession strategy, to utilise players' aerial strengths such as a target man – or use their ability to play with their back to goal.
The first video is from 76 minutes into the game, with Real Sociedad chasing a winner after equalising, with a vocal crowd urging them on. The home side moved from a mid-block to a high press, so Onana goes longer to try and bypass the first line of pressure.
In this case, La Real win first contact and what follows is neither team being able to take control of possession due to the ball being in the air or immediate pressure on the ball with constant challenges and duels.
Real Sociedad ultimately take advantage of the chaos as Pablo Marín keeps a cool head and is able to find a team-mate in space who gets a shot on target. Yet what qualities are necessary from players to deal with unstructured play?
Dealing with unstructured play
"It's important to keep balance in the space when trying to win the ball, even if there’s a bit of chaos," states Faria. "Prepare to fight and win first or second balls. When recovering the ball, you need awareness of the space and team-mates around you to identify best options to play. You need the ball out of the pressure area and you can immediately attack the opponent. And if you're on the side losing the ball, you must be ready to press and prevent the opposition reorganising and gaining stability in their possession."
The second video comes from a period when United were in control and about to open the scoring. Real Sociedad goalkeeper Remiro delivers a long goal kick, but United win the first ball and secure the second contact. Joshua Zirkzee does well to hold the ball with his back to goal as United regain possession.
Patrick Dorgu's short pass finds Casemiro, who uses his body to protect the ball and then hits a pass with the outside of the foot and switches play, allowing United to progress; they continue the attack through Alejandro Garnacho, who sets up Zirkzee – the man who had started the move – to finish it after arriving in the box late.
"United win the first and second ball, then find stability in possession and leave the pressure zone, moving the ball to the other side and quickly attacking the goal," says Faria. "It's a perfect example of how it's vital to leave the pressure zone. Casemiro's protection at the front of the defensive line is key. He makes himself available, uses his body well and threads a ball out of the pressure area using the outside of his foot towards Dalot.
"The players could play it safe and go back, but chose to attack instead. Why a team would do that depends a lot on the zone where the ball is recovered and the time and space the player has to take the best decisions to avoid losing the ball again. There are so many factors, like how aggressive the opponent is pressing and the space available, the options in front, to the side and ahead."
Creating and dealing with chaos in training
How would such moments of chaos be replicated in a training environment?
"You train the moments of transition," explains Faria. "The seconds immediately after winning or losing the ball are very important. Transition to attack, or transition to defend.
"When a coach defines what he wants and trains with them, it puts players in game situations where they constantly have to decide the best answers to take according to the team's objectives."
In San Sebastian, both sides took advantage of long balls from the opposing goalkeeper and the moments of chaos that ensued. They will be hoping to do the same at Old Trafford on Thursday night in the eagerly awaited second leg.
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