Football Manager 2024: Emulating Pep Guardiola's Barcelona tactics

Pep Guardiola’s tenure at Barcelona is rightfully regarded by many as the best a team has ever played football. Guardiola’s tactics coupled with the players he had, made them somewhat an unstoppable force.

Here, we will try to emulate that in the current Manchester City side who do not play the same style of football under the same manager.

Mentality: Pep Guardiola’s side always plays with a positive mentality and that’s the way to go forward.

Formation: Pep Guardiola somewhat revolutionized the game with his 4-3-3 system and it’s the formation to go for.

In possession: Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona side were the master of the art when it came to keeping the ball and controlling games. To do that, there are plenty of instructions you will have to go with and it will take time for your team to reflect that on the pitch.

The instructions are listed here:

• Wide attacking width
• Much shorter passing
• Play out of defence
• Low crossing
• Dribble less
• Work ball into box
• Be more expressive
• Focus play through the middle
• Overlap left
• Overlap right
• Lower tempo

In transition

Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona side worked extremely hard without the ball to win the ball back but they were very patient with it after winning it back. To emulate this your instructions should be:

• Counter press
• Hold shape
• Slow pace down
• Distribute to centre backs
• Out of possession

Your instruction for your players when out of possession will be:

• Higher defensive line
• High press
• Trigger press much more often
• Prevent short GK distribution
• Trap outside
• Stop crosses

Football Manager 2024 Player Roles

• Goalkeeper- Ederson (sweeper keeper-attack)
• Right back- Kyle Walker (Complete wing back- attack)
• Right centre back- John Stones (Ball playing defender- defend)
• Left centre back- Ruben Dias (Ball playing defender- defend)
• Left-back- Josko Gvardiol (Wing back- attack)
• Defensive midfielder- Rodri (Regista- support)
• Central midfielder- Kevin De Bruyne (Deep lying playmaker- support)
• Central midfielder- Phil Foden (Mezzala- attack)
• Right-wing- Bernardo Silva (Trequartista- attack)
• Left-wing- Jeremy Doku (Inside forward-attack)
• Centre forward- Erling Haaland (Deep lying forward- support)