the best attack in the world and the most expensive defense in the world

2023-08-15 21:12:58

The great paradox of football is that the team that best attacks in the world, the one with the most variants and tactical richness, is the one that spends the most money on defenses. Presents Manchester City at the European Super Cup against Sevilla (9:00 p.m.) to the most expensive center-back in the final of a title that they have never won in their history. He had never played it, since his only continental trophy (the 1970 Cup Winners’ Cup) was prior to the creation of the tournament. Sevilla has one cup (the 2006 one taken from Barça) and five defeats.

The absence of Rúben Dias (plus those of Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva suffers the light blue eleven) gives Josko Gvardiol the chance to make his debut as a starter after having appeared to take the air to the team in the last 11 minutes against Burnley, with the very tied victory (0-3).

???? Mendilibar’s touch of humor when asked about Manchester City’s casualties.

???? “In goal and in defense they have more than 500 kilos, I don’t think they complain about casualties”. pic.twitter.com/CTUw3PjLrC

— Relevo (@relevo) August 15, 2023

City has been the top scorer six times and the least scored four times in the Premier in Guardiola’s seven years.

More than 500 kilos have been spent on defense and goal, I don’t think they’re going to complain about the casualties,” joked José Luis Mendilibar at the Athens stadium where the match is being played. Guardiola complained and lamented the hamstring injury De Bruyne, who can take him to the operating room, in which case, he risks being out for four months.

The attraction Gvardiol

The 21-year-old Croatian central defender is the great attraction of the match, out of curiosity to see what else Gvardiol can contribute compared to his colleagues to have become the most expensive defender of all with the 90 million delivered to Leipzig, surpassing the reviled Harry Maguire (87 million United paid for him in 2019).

Six of the ten signings that have cost the most money belong to the rear.

It seems Guardiola’s impulse to sign a central defender for City almost every season, the club that has invested the most in nurturing its last line. Six of the ten most expensive signings in the squad have been defenders. If the teams pay for the goal, he pays for avoiding them.

605 million of the 1,362 million invested have been for 18 defenses (9 centrals and 9 wings).

One goal less than Liverpool

The Catalan coach always maintained that a good attack cannot be separated from a good defense. Satisfied with what his teams accomplished in the offensive phase, acquiring excellent full-backs has become an obsession. Especially in England, where every year he is acquiring new troops. It was not like that with Barça and Bayern.

“You can’t win the Premier if you concede a lot of goals,” Guardiola learned after his first campaign, in which he came third, his worst ranking. As of the following, City have been the top scorer in the following six seasons and the lowest scorer in four of the six. One more goal, in both cases, than Liverpool.

90 million has cost the Croatian Gvardiol, only behind Grealish (117.5).

Stones was the first

John Stones, who opened the money (55.6 million were paid to Everton in 2016) has still lasted since the first season. It was the largest celestial investment of a consignment that included Leroy Sané (52 million), Gabriel Jesus, Ilkay Gündogan, Claudio Bravo and Oleksander Zinchenko, to name the main names.

The City did not win the Premier, and in the following campaign Aymeric Laporte (65 million), Benjamin Mendy (57.5) and Kyle Walker (52.7) landed at the Etihad, footballers more expensive than a goalkeeper like Ederson (40). , key piece in the team, and a multi-purpose guy like Bernardo Silva (50).

The most expensive piece, in front

Almost half (44%) of the money spent on reinforcements since 2016 with the arrival of Guardiola (1,362.54 million) they have gone to defense (605.55 million, according to Transfermarkt data). Proportionally, the kilo of defense is quoted more than that of forward. The exception is Jack Grealish (117 millones). Erling Haaland’s market price (60 million, commissions and bonuses apart) was cheap compared to the house’s expenditures.

Those 605 million invested in defenses are divided into nine center-backs and nine full-backs, specialists just as valued if you look at the price of Joao Cancelo (65 million). The 14 contracted forwards total 423.89 million.

At Barça and at Bayern, their teams were the least beaten for seven years.

Investment with dividends

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In his four seasons at Barcelona and in the three at Bayern his teams were always the least scored in the category. The seven years The greatest spending at the Camp Nou was focused on the first campaign (Piqué, Cáceres, Henrique and Dani Alves, the most expensive with 35.5 million) and the following year with Dmitró Chigrinski (25). In Germany he only signed Dante (4 million) and Benatia (28).

The investment yielded excellent dividends, which is not always the case. Guardiola has compensated the effort of his clubs. he has given them 11 of the 13 leagues that played.