The Recreation of Luis Enrique’s Tactical Masterclass That Helped PSG Conquer Europe and Win All Six Major Trophies in FM26!
In 2024, Kylian Mbappé’s dream was finally realised as he joined Real Madrid from PSG in a move that signified the end of the Parisian’s relatively short-lived ‘Galatico Era’, in which they signed the likes of Neymar, Sergio Ramos, and most notably Lionel Messi.
However, Mbappé’s departure also was a turning point for the club, as the club began prioritising young, hungry talent that were itching for success, with the likes of Joao Neves and Willian Pacho being signed in the Summer of 2024.
In the 24/25 season, this tight-knit, determined, and driven group, under the guidance of Luis Enrique, overcame every single challenge that faced them on their way to a historic night in Munich, where the club lifted its first ever Champions League trophy following an insane, record-breaking 5-0 win in the Final against Inter Milan.
In this article, I’ll be providing my brief analysis on what makes PSG so superb, before demonstrating my recreation of their tactics in Football Manager 2026 and showcasing the excellent results said tactics achieved in testing. Firstly, let’s analyse the core principles of this system.
The 3-3-4 Rules Supreme
In recent years, due to the rise of the ‘Positional Play’ methods popularised by Pep Guardiola, the 3-2-5 and 2-3-5 in-possession shapes have dominated the European scene, with Guardiola’s Man City using the former shape to famously win the Treble in 22/23.
However, Luis Enrique’s PSG have broken the mould in the last 12 months, as they, instead, have opted for a 3-3-4 in-possession shape. The benefit of this shape, compared to the 3-2-5, is the greater midfield coverage allowing PSG to constantly overload opposition midfields, whilst the front four pins the opposition back-four.
Against a 4-4-2 out-of-possession shape, PSG’s 3-3-4 overloads both the opposition’s front-two and midfield-two inside the line of four in midfield, as demonstrated below:
Constant Movement, Constant Rotations
PSG’s 3-3-4 shape doesn’t just present itself centrally, however, as following movement and rotations, this 3-3-4 shape can drift laterally to overload specific zones. An example of a different 3-3-4 used by PSG at a different time showcases this perfectly, below:
Here, Vitinha has rotated with Mendes to draw out the opposition’s right-midfielder; Fabian moves wider into the space vacated by the right-midfielder, retaining the 3-man midfield and can easily be found by Vitinha as Kvaratskhelia’s pinning the opposition’s right-back.
Through a multitude of rotations, PSG’s 3-3-4 shape can situationally become either a 3-2-5 or a 3-1-6. However, the 3-3-4 is their primary shape, and can be formed in a few different ways as shown in the examples below:
READ ALSO: OP 4-2-3-1 FM26 Tactic - Premier League in Year 1
Let’s Break Down the Tactic
(DISCLAIMER: This tactic comes with two other versions, of which can be accessed by downloading the tactic file on this article.)
In Possession
When PSG have the ball, they immediately look to build out from the back using their back four. Vitinha and his movement is imperative to their build-up, as he’ll regularly drop deeper to receive the ball to alleviate opposition pressure and looks to dictate the tempo of the game from this deeper position.
PSG focus a lot of their possession in slightly wider areas, looking to create wide diamonds as a mean of progression. They prioritise shorter passes, and the tempo of their possession depends on the game-state.
The culmination of a prolonged sequence of shorter passes is often a through ball into an attacker making a run in-behind if PSG have dragged the opposition high. If the opposition are camped in their own half, PSG will show immaculate patience as they methodically try and work the ball into the box or into potential cut-back scenarios.
Finally, when PSG have the ball, their players are given licence to roam from their positions and rotate with teammates.
Out of Possession
When PSG lose the ball, they will immediately swarm the opposition in a counter-pressing attempt to regain possession. When PSG don’t have possession for prolonged periods, they will look to press high and force the opposition backwards.
Their high-press is backed up by a very high line, which regularly steps up to engage in interceptions, allowing PSG to remain vertically compact as a unit.
When pressing high, PSG aren’t afraid to be aggressive in their duels and will regularly get stuck in to challenges and duels. Finally, when the opposition are building out from the back, PSG will always try and force the opposition’s ‘keeper/defenders into long-balls.
Opposition Instructions
Player Roles
Ball-Playing Goalkeeper | Sweeper Keeper
In this system, Chevalier is a lot better on the ball than Donnarumma was, and PSG looks to utilise his excellent ball-playing to enhance their build-up in-possession. When PSG don’t have the ball, Chevalier will hold a higher position to sweep through balls in-behind. Therefore, I felt this combination of roles was perfect. No added instructions.
Advanced Wing-Back | Pressing Full-Back
In this system, Hakimi is almost always the more advanced of the two full-backs and his positioning is largely dependent on the right-winger’s positioning ahead of him – if the right-winger holds the width, Hakimi will move inside and vice versa.
When PSG don’t have the ball, Hakimi will move higher to regularly engage in the high-press and allow PSG to go man-to-man. Therefore, I felt this role combination was as close to a perfect recreation as possible, with the added instructions:
(DCR & DCL) Centre-Back | Centre-Back
In this system, both centre-backs will focus primarily on retaining possession through shorter passes and defending when PSG don’t have the ball. Therefore, I felt this combination of roles worked best in-game, with the following added instruction:
‘Shorter Passing’
Inside Full-Back | Full-Back
In this system, Mendes is typically the more reserved of the two full-backs, usually holding a deeper position and forming a back-three with the two centre-backs. However, Mendes’ role is particularly flexible as he can make forward runs regularly, carry forward often, and even reach the byline to supply cut-backs into the penalty area.
When PSG don’t have the ball, Mendes is a bit more reserved in his positioning, unlike Hakimi, and will stay in-line with the two centre-backs. Therefore, I felt this role combination was perfect, with the added instructions:
Deep-Lying Playmaker | Defensive Midfielder
Vitinha is the heart of the team, moving around whenever and wherever to keep things ticking for the side, dictating the tempo of their play and is a vital cog in this PSG machine. When he receives the ball, Vitinha will take a lot of delicate, intricate touches to scan the game and find the most optimal solution for the team and can even carry forward from a deeper position at times.
When PSG don’t have the ball, Vitinha supplements the press by holding down the defensive midfield zone. Therefore, I felt this role combination replicated his role best, with the added instructions:
Central Midfielder | Pressing Central Midfielder
In this system, Neves is largely understated and his influence on games can go under the radar significantly. Neves largely fills in gaps and takes up positions vacated by others to retain the 3-3-4 in-possession shape.
When PSG don’t have the ball, however, Neves comes out of his shell and displays an elite reading of the game and relentless intensity and tenacity that makes him so difficult to shrug off. Both central midfielders, in this system, will constantly press the opposition to disrupt the opponent’s build-up. Therefore, I felt this role combination worked best, with the added instructions:
Channel Midfielder | Pressing Central Midfielder
In this position, Fabian is the beneficiary of a particularly interesting role as he, like Neves, is given licence to roam to plug holes in the team’s shape and form situational overloads. However, Fabian will regularly make runs in-behind, into the left channel and left half-space and can also crash the box late into attacking moves.
In conjunction with Kvaratskhelia, the pair co-ordinate with one dropping deeper and one running beyond. As with Neves, Fabian is very aggressive when PSG don’t have the ball and will regularly move higher and press more often. Therefore, I felt this role combination was most optimal, with the added instructions:
Wide Forward | Winger
In this position, Doué will initially hold the width – however, depending on the game situation, he can drift inside allowing Hakimi to hold the width himself. Additionally, Doué will often roam from his position to rotate with team-mates.
Désiré Doué is one of my favourite players to watch: his skill, his flair, his passion, his work rate… he embodies football at its best for me, and his role encapsulates that. When PSG don’t have the ball, Doué, like Kvaratskhelia, is a ‘secondary presser’ – one that follows the press, rather than leads it. Therefore, I felt this role was most suitable, with the added instructions:
Winger | Winger
In this system, Kvaratskhelia almost always holds the team’s width on the left side; from here, he can often roam and drift inside to interchange positions with a team-mate. When he receives the ball, Kvaratskhelia will regularly take on the opposition full-back, before reaching the byline or passing the ball into space for Fabian or Mendes to reach the byline themselves.
When PSG don’t have the ball, as aforementioned, both wingers in this system are ‘secondary pressers’. Therefore, I felt this role combination was perfect, with the added instructions:
False Nine | Centre Forward
If Vitinha is the heartbeat of this PSG monster, then Ousmane Dembélé is, no doubt, the brain. This excellent PSG team works around him and, vicariously, through him as he dictates almost everything this side does both in and out of possession.
In his system, Dembélé is given complete licence to move wherever he pleases – however, you’ll often find him residing in the half-spaces after dropping deep, between the lines. From receiving here, Dembélé will turn and carry forward before slipping a team-mate through on goal or laying off possession to a team-mate in a wider position.
When PSG don’t have the ball, Dembélé is absolutely relentless, incessantly closing down the opposition as he leads the PSG charge. Therefore, I felt this role combination worked best, with the added instructions:
Results
Ligue 1
We dominated Ligue 1 in testing as we ran away with the title, winning 31 of our 34 league games and drawing the other 3 games to play – we were INVINCIBLE! In our 34 league games, we scored 92 goals (2.7 goals per game) and conceded just 20 goals (0.5 goals per game), highlighting our pure dominance!
Domestic Cups
We kicked off the season with a UEFA Super Cup duel against Tottenham Hotspur – we would beat the North London outfit 2-0 to lift our first piece of silverware of the season. We followed this with success in the ‘Intercontinental Champion’, beating Al-Ahli 1-4 in the Final, making it two trophies before the new year.
We began 2026 as we meant to go on, beating rivals Marseille on penalties following a 0-0 draw to win the Trophée des Champions, making it a quickfire treble! We wouldn’t allow Marseille to get their revenge in the French Cup, however, as we beat them 1-3 in the French Cup Final to make it a QUINTUPLE!
UEFA Champions League
History MADE! Modern-day football utopia was reached tactically… it was only right we would achieve such a heavenly feat in completing the SEXTUPLE!
Arsenal took us all the way to penalties, but were thwarted by an imperious, Champion-elect in Chevalier who saved three penalties in an incredibly tense 16-15 shootout.
On our way to the final, we overcame Inter Milan (5-0 AGG), Real Madrid (2-4 AGG), and PSV (6-1 AGG) after finishing top of the League Phase after beating the likes of Barcelona, Napoli, Borussia Dortmund, and Ajax 2-1, 1-3, 0-2, and 6-0 respectively.
CHECK ALSO: FM26 Tactics Hub
Conclusion
PSG are incredible… or shall I say ‘incroyable’?! They not only won the UEFA Champions League in 24/25, they made a mockery of it and, whilst Bayern Munich were recently able to overthrow them in Paris, they will surely be favourites to go two in a row. They, for me, are modern-day footballing utopia – the crown jewel of European football at this stage.
If you want a taste of this beautiful tactic, make sure to download the tactic using the link attached to this article and make sure to follow FM Blog (@fmbIog) and myself (@AshtonGgmu) on our respective socials. I hope you have enjoyed this article, and I wish you much success with this tactic on your saves! Thanks for reading!
