Abstract
The aim of this study is to find out characteristics of tactics of attack of teams which play in the finals of the Champions League by analyzing competition activities and also to use comparative analysis for the same competition in two competition seasons and point to the potential tendencies in tactical preparation of teams for the very end of the competition. The analysis involved quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals in seasons 2015/2016 and 2016/2017, i.e. 13 matches in each season. The tactical action was analyzed by monitoring variables that describe the ways of beginning, realization and completion of successful attacks, but also the overall characteristics of play when a team was in ball possession (scope, success and speed of passing the ball). Results of this study showed that that there are no significant differences in tactical demonstration of teams that play the final round of the competition in two competition seasons. The application of continuous attacks is dominant, beginning by cutting a pass and winning "the second ball" on the opponent's half, while the final pass is in most cases the centre and back lateral passing. However, significant difference was discovered only in efficiency during the passing game, which was significantly greater in the 2016/2017 season (p=0.013) and partially in the longer ball possession also in the 2016/2017 season. The kind of analysis in the field of football tactics is valuable because it provides a possibility to define the criteria for achieving results on the highest level, but to predict potential tendencies in developing offensive football tactics.
Highlights
Moments of the game that more or less influence the final result can be identified by analyzing competition activities in football on the individual or the team level (Castelano et al, 2012; Liu & Gomez., 2014; Liu et al, 2015a)
Results of this study have shown that teams that appeared in the finals of the competition in the 2016/2017 season were slightly more offensive, which was confirmed by the data according to which the average number of successful attacks was 11.5 compared to the previous season - 9.5
When the type of the attack is in question, the analysis showed that the application of continuous attacks, counter attacks and successful actions after the break of the game is proportionally represented in both seasons (Table 1)
Summary
Moments of the game that more or less influence the final result can be identified by analyzing competition activities in football on the individual or the team level (Castelano et al, 2012; Liu & Gomez., 2014; Liu et al, 2015a). Studies that deal with this kind of analyses in a longer period of time aim at discovering these technical and tactical parameters of the game correlated with success, and, on the other hand, serve to envisage new trends, and above all, football game tactics (McGarry et al, 2002). Results of these studies and their explanation function to define theoretical procedures in evolutive development of football, but they have a significant role in technological process and preparation for certain football competitions. Significantly greater closeness of players on the area and the speed of movement of the ball on the pitch point to changes in organization of the game on the group and the team level (Wallace & Norton, 2014)
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