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- Champions League Final Set-Piece Preview & Vasco Matos Tactics At CD Santa Clara 2024/2025
Champions League Final Set-Piece Preview & Vasco Matos Tactics At CD Santa Clara 2024/2025
Today, we have a set-piece analysis preview for the UEFA Champions League Final between Inter Milan and PSG along with a head coach analysis piece on Vasco Matos at CD Santa Clara, highlighting how they qualified for the UEFA Conference League against the odds.


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Today’s TFA Posts ⚽
The world’s eyes will be on the UEFA Champions League Final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan on Saturday, May 31st.
Both teams have come a long way and faced many challenges to reach the Munich Football Arena.
Inter were strong from the first stage, finishing fourth with 19 points, which is equal to Barcelona and Arsenal, and just two points behind leaders Liverpool.
After that, Simone Inzaghi‘s side knocked out Feyenoord, Bayern Munich, and then Barcelona.
On the other hand, PSG suffered more in the initial stage, ending up 15th with 13 points, which led them to the play-offs.
The Luis Enrique-led side advanced past Brest in the play-offs and then knocked out Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal.
Small details could be crucial in this match, so in this Champions League Final tactics preview, we will examine each side’s tactics in set pieces.
This tactical analysis is a set-piece analysis of each side’s most important tactics in set plays, which we predict will be crucial in this Champions League Final.
We discuss how these tactics will impact the opposing side’s defensive strategy.
This tactical analysis explores Vasco Matos‘ work at CD Santa Clara during their outstanding 2024/2025 Portuguese League season.
After winning promotion as champions of Liga Portugal 2 in the previous campaign, Santa Clara made an immediate impact upon returning to the top flight, finishing in a remarkable fifth place and securing qualification for the UEFA Conference League.
This achievement is even more impressive because Santa Clara retained the core of the squad that had competed in the second division.
The most frequently used starting eleven remained largely unchanged, providing a sense of continuity and tactical familiarity that proved essential in the club’s seamless transition to the top tier.
Under Matos’ guidance, the Azorean side finished behind only the traditional big three: Benfica, Porto, and Sporting CP, as well as Braga, while outperforming established top-half teams such as Vitória SC and Famalicão.
This success was no accident: it was the result of Vasco Matos’s clearly defined tactical structure, intelligent in-game management, and a collective mentality instilled by the coach.
This Vasco Matos analysis breaks down the key tactical principles that defined Matos’ tactics, from their in-possession structure to pressing mechanisms and key player roles, and how these contributed to one of the most impressive seasons in the club’s history.
TFA Archives 📆
Chelsea have become the first European team to win every international trophy after beating Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League Final.
Take a look at their attacking tactics under Enzo Maresca this season.
AC Milan have sent a formal offer to Massimiliano Allegri to become their new head coach, with him the top choice to replace Sérgio Conceição.
Revisit his 2023 tactics with Juventus as he eyes a return to Italy.
Napoli remain confident Antonio Conte will stay as head coach next season after positive talks with De Laurentiis.
Take a look at the tactics that helped Napoli push for the title under Conte this season.