Matchday 2 - Deluxe Tournament 6 (choosing your strategies) [SPAIN]

Choosing the right strategy can be just as crucial as the match itself, offering everything from goal multipliers to cancelling out rivals' goals and severe penalties in the event of defeat.

## the art of strategic choice

In the heat of competition, where every detail counts, choosing the pre-match strategy becomes just another weapon. It is not just about fielding the best players, but about anticipating how the game will unfold and giving the team a tactical edge. From the most aggressive tactics that multiply goals at key moments to the defensive ones that aim to seal the result in the final minutes, the variety is astonishing. Some, such as the **Offensive Tactic 3-4-3**, double the value of goals scored in the first half, while the **Defensive Tactic 6-3-1** protects the goal from minute 15 of the second half onwards, cancelling out goals conceded. Others, such as **"Poison the rival strikers"**, prevent the strikers' goals from counting until minute 20 of the second half. The complexity of these options invites careful thought before giving the go-ahead.

Some strategies play with psychology and luck. **"Paying off the referee"**, for example, can turn a draw into a win if the score is close, though there is a catch: if both teams choose it, the benefit goes to the home team. **"Luck in the match"** awards a penalty in your favour which, even if missed, counts as a goal, while penalties against you have no effect. In addition, goals scored or conceded in the final minutes of the match can carry a special value or be cancelled out. **"The goal ladder"** is a clear example of how the order of the goals can alter the perception of the result, with each goal worth pogre more. And we must not forget **"Get Up Early and Shut Up Shop"**, which doubles goals in the first 30 minutes and cancels out those conceded in the closing stages of the second half.

## risk and reward

But it is not all about gains. Many of these strategies come with considerable risk. Defeat can bring severe penalties, ranging from losing points to starting the next match with a considerable disadvantage on the scoreboard. The **"The best doesn't always win"** strategy, for example, means that if you lose, you start the next match 0-4 down. Others, such as **"Threaten the players"**, suspend the team for one matchday and make them start 0-2 down if they are beaten. **"Incite Violence"** offers no direct benefit, but if you win, it deducts 3 points from the rival, suggesting a more punitive than self-improving approach.

**"A Clockwork Orange"** doubles goals in the first half and triples them in the second, but a defeat costs 5 points. **"Bribing the linesman at risk"** cancels out the rival's first goal until minute 80, but also deducts 5 points if you lose. The **"7-2-1 and play on the counter"** strategy triples the value of a goal scored, but does not allow a second goal and carries a 5-point penalty in the event of defeat. **"The Machine Gun"** combines luck, paying off the referee and attacking play, but a defeat means a 5-point penalty. **"The basic one"** offers different advantages depending on whether you start out winning or losing, but a defeat costs 4 points. **"Step by step"**, which combines paying off the referee and the linesman, is one of the costliest in the event of defeat: 7 points, and even 4 if the strategy is reversed by the rival.

## combined strategies and side effects

Some tactics are true combinations of effects, seeking synergies that boost the result. **"Doping the players"** makes strikers' goals worth 2, midfielders' 3 and defenders' 4, with a goalkeeper's goal worth 3. However, a defeat costs 5 points. **"Anti-football"** turns a draw into a win and cancels out rival goals in the second half, but a defeat deducts 6 points. If both teams choose strategies that involve "paying off the referee", the effect falls to the home team, while the away side adopts a defensive and "poison the strikers" tactic.

**"Super Machine"** and **"Super Nimo"** are examples of strategies with multiple levels of goal bonuses depending on the minute of the match, but both carry a 4 or 5-point penalty in the event of defeat. **"Super Nimo"** also has complex interactions if the rival chooses certain strategies, being able to change its own tactic or the opponent's. **"Doping the linesman and the players"** is a powerful combination that costs 8 points in the event of defeat, the highest penalty among the strategies analysed. **"The Railway"** offers goal multipliers at different phases of the match, but a defeat costs 7 points. **"Jogo Bonito"** awards 3 points per goal scored and deducts 2 per goal conceded, with a 4-point penalty if you lose.

**"Man Marking"** cancels out the first goal from each of the rival's lines, but leaves you fully exposed from minute 80 onwards and costs 7 points if you lose. **"Wetting the pitch"** cancels out rival strikers' goals until minute 35 of the first half and comes with the linesman's benefit, but a defeat costs 8 points. **"Hiding the balls"** combines luck and the linesman, but also costs 8 points if you lose. Finally, **"Go out to win, or you can't play proper football"**, exclusive to the home team, cancels out the rival's defensive or nullifying strategies and doubles your own goals, but a defeat means starting the next matchday 0-3 down and being unable to choose a strategy. The choice, without a doubt, is an art with tangible consequences.