Mourinho's Inter at the Camp Nou, 2010: defending with ten
In the 2010 Champions League semi-final, Jose Mourinho's Inter beat Pep Guardiola's Barcelona 3-1 in Milan, then went to the Camp Nou to defend the lead. Thiago Motta was sent off after 28 minutes, and Inter played the rest of the game with ten men. They lost the second leg 1-0 but went through 3-2 on aggregate, and went on to win the trophy. Inter's own account describes the shape after the red card as a 4-4-1, with Samuel Eto'o covering a lot of ground on the left.
Step 1 of 3
Ten men. Two banks of four just a few yards apart and one forward screening their holding midfielder.
Drawn for 11v11 4-4-1. Pick your own format and shape and every step is redrawn for your players. Then present it or send it to your team.
Step by step
Ten men. Two banks of four just a few yards apart and one forward screening their holding midfielder.
They go wide. The block slides across together; winger and full-back double up.
The cut-back comes inside to the edge. Bodies in the way, blocked and cleared.
When to use it
When you must protect a lead against a better team, or after a sending-off. The lessons on compactness and protecting the middle apply to any low block.
Coaching points
Two banks of four very close together, protecting the middle and the edge of the box.
Wide players track runners all the way back.
The lone forward screens their holding midfielder and chases backward passes.
Let them have the ball in front of you; block passes through the lines.
Defend crosses and cut-backs with numbers in the box.
Who does what
Position
Their job
Back four
Narrow and deep, protecting the box.
Midfield four
Close to the defence, blocking passes into the strikers.
Wide midfielders
Double up with the full-backs against wingers.
Lone forward
Screens the middle and gives an outlet.
When they change it
If they…
You…
They switch it quickly
Slide as a block and accept the cross; defend the box.
They shoot from distance
The midfield line steps out to block.
Copying it at grassroots
Use it for spells and to protect a lead. Young players also need to learn to attack.
Common mistakes
Gaps between the midfield and the defence.
Wide midfielders switching off and letting runners go.
Clearing straight back to them with no outlet.
At 7v7, 9v9 and 11v11
7v7
Two lines of three in a 3-3 if you're down to six.
The history on this page is written in our own words from these sources. The board is our simplified picture of the idea, not a copy of any match footage.
