Champions League holders Paris St-Germain are into the semi-finals of this season's competition and strong contenders to repeat last year's impressive feat. Despite boasting squads that have included the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, it is the current side – who host Bayern Munich in the first leg on Tuesday – that has played the club's most impressive football.
This month, manager Luis Enrique said "it would be a dream to have 20 players who can play everywhere", a nod to how he has looked to develop this squad. It is through that focus on versatility and continuous rotations on the pitch that PSG have confused and outplayed some of the best teams in the world.
How Luis Enrique balances fluidity and structure
Watching PSG right-back Achraf Hakimi tap in their opener from seven yards out in last season's Champions League final win felt odd. In Paris, full-backs are regularly found in the penalty area while attackers are seen in defensive midfield positions. This fluidity appears hard to understand, but there are underlying principles from the coaches that enable it to work without descending into chaos.
The two PSG centre-backs are fixed in their positions. Coaches like Igor Tudor, Chris Wilder and Simone Inzaghi have all encouraged central defenders, albeit in back threes, to roam and rotate with their team-mates so this is a possibility, but Luis Enrique opts against this. The Spanish manager believes there has to be some structure to allow other players to play fluidly. The phrase 'floaters and anchors' has been used to help explain this concept.
During a game, PSG have players who act as anchors occupying zones that provide the team with balance. These positions include the two centre-backs, the touchline players on both sides, and one player stretching the opposition up top. Aside from the centre-backs who remain in their positions, these anchoring positions can be taken up by players moving into these spaces.
For example, left-winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia might start in the left-wing position before moving infield resulting in left-back Nuno Mendes filling that position. The key however is that those anchoring zones are always occupied, ensuring the team maintains its shape even as individuals interchange.