5 managers with the most defensive playing style in football right now

#3 Massimiliano Allegri (Juventus)

Juventus v Atalanta BC - Serie A g

Massimiliano Allegri is a vastly experienced manager, with his managerial career entirely based out of Italy so far. The Italian managed AC Milan from 2010 to 2014 and then joined Juventus from 2014 to 2019.

He returned for a second spell with the Old Lady this summer. Allegri was strongly linked with a move to the Premier League but nothing materialized. The former Milan manager prefers to use either the 3-5-2, 4-3-1-2 or the 4-3-3 formation.

He prefers to adopt his tactics based on the players at his disposal rather than the other way around. Irrespective of the formation, Allegri prefers his side to have a compact shape and sit deep when not in possession. Despite this, his team have been very efficient in the attack. It is amazing how the Italian has won the Serie A six times to date and is most likely to achieve more with Juventus.

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#2 Jose Mourinho (Roma)

Bayern Muenchen v Inter Milan - UEFA Champions League Final

The introduction of the concept of "parking the bus" was brought into football by the great Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese has been a phenomenal manager over the years and he has stayed true to his philosophy of winning at all costs.

Mourinho has managed some top European clubs like Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Inter Milan. The manager has frequently preferred to play in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Every player in the team is expected to contribute in marking the opposition and helping out their team-mates.

It is also observed that while the default formation is 4-2-3-1, his team shapes into a 4-4-2 formation while defending. The full-backs are supported by wide midfielders/wingers and the two central midfielders help out the centre-backs. Mourinho emphasizes a lot on the defending part and it has resulted in criticism of him in the past few years.

That being said, he has proven how a collective defensive effort can be fruitful. His Treble triumph with Inter Milan in 2010 is a great example of how a defensive-minded approach can bring out the best results. Of course, it does depend from team to team and season to season but it is an approach that cannot be written off.

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#1 Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid)

Liverpool FC v Atletico Madrid - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Second Leg

Diego Simeone has been an incredible manager for Atletico Madrid and it has been reflected in his achievements with the Spanish club. The Argentine has been responsible time and again for causing trouble for the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga.

The former Catania manager has won the La Liga twice, the Copa del Rey, two UEFA Europa Leagues and two UEFA Super Cups with Atletico Madrid. It is a phenomenal achievement given the quality of teams he has faced over time. Simeone prefers to use a 4-4-2 formation with almost every player involved in winning the ball back.

He likes his team to be compact and close the gap between defense and midfield on a consistent basis. The two central midfielders in his lineup are pivotal to their game-play as they are the ones who have to link up with almost every other teammate on the pitch. His team is known to be aggressive and sturdy in defense and can resist almost any quality of opposition from scoring.

With Real Madrid and Barcelona not being at their best lately, it will come as no surprise if Simeone wins the Spanish league with Atletico this season too. The most fitting acknowledgement of the Argentine's talent would be a Champions League victory, which has eluded him so far.