How to play against Dayot Upamecano ?

In 2015, The French player attracted the attention of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City, However he joined RB Salzburg On July 2015 and after his debut, "For a 17-year-old, he plays with such composure and he is really strong." Óscar García, Salzburg coach.

On January 2017 he moved to RB Leipzig under the Austrian coach Ralph Hasenhüttl, On 14 February 2021, Bayern Munich announced an agreement for the signing of Upamecano on a five-year deal and he reunited with Julian Nagelsmann, when his ex-Leipzig coach followed him to Bayern & the Frenchman believes he will continue to flourish under his straight-talking boss.

Upamecano has many in & out of possession qualities which drew the attention to him from early on, but Today I am going to talk about one of his qualities, and how to play against him in this behaviour.

The 23 years old player always wants to track his marker regardless the space appeared behind him by his movement, he preferred to be on duels rather than protect his space.

In his game in The Champions League against Barcelona, he always stepped up to mark his former teammate Lewandowski, as an example, the ball with Barca’s CB and Lewandowski dropped off to receive the ball in his feet, The french center-back tracked him leaving his space although Kimmich was a free player in the midfield who could easily mark him.

Lewa played a pass to Gavi, who lost the duel with Gortezka and Bayern could regain possession.

Again, The Polish striker dropped to receive between 2 Bayern’s midfielders.

Upamecano stepped up to force him to play the ball from one touch to Busquets, who lose the ball due to Musiala’s pressure, and they could again win the ball.

This intentional behaviour of Upamecano with his speed and aggressiveness often puts the striker in a pickle, knowing that he has no chance to get the ball and turn around.

In Der Klassiker, at Signal Iduna Park, Borussia Dortmund knew that they will face the same thing against Upamecano, so they thought about how they have the advantage on the French center-back.

A striker between center-backs

Dortmund solved that, the ball with the left FB, Malen drops off to receive a head of Upamecano, which forcing him to be his marker, while Moukoko was out of this screengrab, between De Ligt and Upamecano to create the doubts in him about stepping up.

Malen made a fake run, Upamecano wasn’t sure to leave his space because of Moukoko.

And with this fake run, Malen provide a space to receive the ball and turn for himself, while Moukoko still stand between the center-backs.

In this situation, again BVB created doubts in Upamecano with 2 strikers.

Schlotterbeck had the ball, Moukoko positioned between Kimmich, Pavard & Upamecano, Upamecano can’t step up because of Modeste.

Moukoko received the ball, Upamecano is now in crisis, the ball was open, and a runner behind him, he tried to adjust his body shape to face Moukoko if he tried to carry the ball forward, he didn’t give a hoot about Modeste, thinking that he could track Modeste back relying on his speed, However this posture didn’t able him to intercept the pass to Modeste.

The misfortune happened, Modeste received the pass behind him, Upamecano was able to track him, but the French striker decelerated and pass the ball to Moukoko who came from behind to score their first goal, which gave his team a step towards the equalizer.

Terzic solved these situations tactically, but how could the striker win his individual duels with Upamecano ?

Directing the first touch

While Bayern Muchen attacking, Upamecano’s role was marking Moukoko to kill any opportunity for The Black and Yellows, here the striker had no chance to escape from the duel.

A long pass played from Borussia’s defender to Moukoko, Upamecano stuck to him.

Moukoko put his body, then direct the ball beside him and turn around to progress the counter-attack, you can see how far he was able to get away.

Again, the same situation, Moukoko received the ball under pressure.

He put his body between the ball & Upamecano, and direct his first touch towards the space ahead of him, which able him to create a distance between him & Upamecano, then, he could pass the ball back to progress the attack.

In the 92th-minute, Borussia was harrying to score the equalizer after winning the ball back.

Upamecano stuck to Adeyemi, trying to stop the attack and win the duel, but Adeyemi directed his first touch to Brandt, then he ran quickly in to the space created behind Upamecano, but Brandt played a sideways pass to Hazard on the flank.

Borussia Dortmund came from 2-0 down to draw with Bayern Munich and stop their rivals going top of the Bundesliga at Signal Iduna Park, Anthony Modeste headed in a 94th-minute to secure the 2-2 draw.