Comparison

Compare managers

Select two manager dossiers for professional tactical analysis, read against the same scale.

Prototype rating

Select manager A

🇮🇹

Maurizio Sarri

Atalanta

Italy flag Italy

GafferScore 83

PossessionStructured Build-UpHigh Defensive Line

Possession / Structured Build-Up

Select manager B

🇪🇸

Unai Emery

Aston Villa

Spain flag Spain · 54

GafferScore 88

Tactical FlexibilityHigh Defensive LineCounter Attack

Tactical Flexibility / High Defensive Line

Tactical comparison

Comparison summary

Maurizio Sarri sets up as positional • control • structured from a 4-3-3, pressing at high intensity behind a high defensive line. Unai Emery is detail-led • offside trap • game management from a 4-4-2, with high press intensity and a very high line.

Key similarities

Width — both around 78
Pressing Intensity — both around 80
High Press — both around 82
Compactness — both around 64

Key differences

Verticality — Unai Emery higher by 34
Line Height — Unai Emery higher by 12
Possession — Maurizio Sarri higher by 11
Press Resistance — Maurizio Sarri higher by 11

Tactical similarity58%

🇮🇹

GafferScore

83/100

Maurizio Sarri

Atalanta

Serie A

🇪🇸

GafferScore

88/100

Unai Emery

Aston Villa

Premier League

Comparative shape

Assessment profile

Advantage Unai Emery

Defensive Transition

Advantage Unai Emery

0–100 index

Development

Youth Development

Advantage Maurizio Sarri

Player Improvement

Similar

0–100 index

Flexibility

Formation Flexibility

Advantage Unai Emery

In-Game Adaptability

Advantage Unai Emery

GafferLens index

Category assessment

85Attack84

83Defence88

85Pressing84

93Possession82

93Build-Up83

82Transition88

86Player Development82

85Tactical Flexibility94

Verified canonical record

Current Club — League

—Matches140

—Win %52.1%

Career-wide profile data

Career profile record

—Points / game1.83

—Goals / game1.86

—Conceded / game1.11

—Clean sheet %38%

4-3-3Current base shape4-4-2

—Age54

—Appointed1 NOV 2022

—Tenure3 years, 11 months

—ContractUntil Jun 2029

—Yrs in senior management21 years

AtalantaClubAston Villa

Serie ALeaguePremier League

Projected

Head-to-head tactical matchup

Provisional

Press vs build-up
Similar
Maurizio Sarri's press (85) against Unai Emery's build-up (83) decides whether the first phase survives.
Build-up vs press
Advantage: Maurizio Sarri
Unai Emery presses at 84; Maurizio Sarri builds at 93.
Attack vs defence
Advantage: Unai Emery
Maurizio Sarri's attacking model (85) against Unai Emery's defensive organisation (88).
Transition duel
Advantage: Unai Emery
Both sides live in the seconds after a turnover — 82 vs 88.
In-game flexibility
Advantage: Unai Emery
Who changes the game from the touchline: 85 vs 94.

Matchup lines are modelled from tactical descriptors, not from recorded fixtures between these managers.

GafferLens Pro

Advanced manager intelligence

Coming later

Advanced Tactical Style

Possession + High PressFast / Vertical + Counter AttackBuild combinations

Build-Up Style

Short Build-UpStructured Build-UpDirect ProgressionGoalkeeper InvolvementBack Three Build-Up

Pressing Profile

High PressCounter-PressMid-BlockLow BlockMan-Oriented Press

Attacking Profile

Positional AttackHigh-Tempo AttackWide OverloadsCentral OverloadsHalf-Space FocusDirect Attacking

Defensive Profile

High Defensive LineCompact BlockAggressive DefenceDeep DefenceDefensive Organisation

Player Development

Youth DevelopmentAcademy IntegrationPlayer ImprovementYoung Squad Experience

Advanced Experience

Champions League ExperienceEuropean ExperienceInternational ManagementTitle-Winning ExperienceRebuild Experience

Rating Filters

GafferScore ≥ 85Pressing ≥ 80Build-Up ≥ 80Player Development ≥ 75

Multi-Filter Search

Possession + High Press + Under 45 + Elite Experience

Manager Match

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Advanced Similarity

Build-UpAttackPressingDefenceTransitionsFlexibilityPlayer Development

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Season: 2026/27