Does Vincent Kompany offer a glimpse into football after Pep Guardiola?

There have been concerns among fans this season that the game’s top teams, facing stubborn man-to-man defensive schemes, are taking a less aggressive approach to attack.

But Bayern under Kompany tend to take this risk, playing freely both on and off the field. They often dominate, and are a joy to watch – a style that involves all eleven players and starts right at the back.

In the round of 16 of the Champions League, Bayern faced an Atalanta team that opted for man-marking across the pitch. So Kompany rotated his players, pulling the opposition defenders out of their positions.

For example, attacking midfielder Serge Gnabry often drops into centre-back positions to get the ball. The Atalanta observer followed him. This has opened up space for Gnabry’s teammates. As a result, Atalanta ended up with two attackers in defense and two defenders in attack. Bayern Munich won 10-2 on aggregate.

Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti was particularly impressed, noting Bayern’s fluidity. In his words: “They showed us a whole encyclopedia of movement and positioning in football.”