Matchday 3 - Deluxe Tournament 6 (strategy picks) [SPAIN]

In football, strategy is key and can change the rules of the game, giving you advantages or disadvantages depending on your choice.

When it comes to football, sometimes it seems like everything boils down to scoring more goals than the other team. But if you stop and think about it, there's a whole world behind every match, a chess game with boots, where the decisions made before the opening whistle can be just as important as the ones taken on the pitch. And I'm not just talking about putting your eleven guys in their positions, but about picking a strategy that basically lets you play with the rules of the game. Yes, you heard that right, playing with the rules!

There are plenty of these "strategies" that give you a special edge if you pick them. Some make your goals worth double, triple, or even quadruple, but only if you score them at certain moments of the match. For example, **"La Maquina"** gives you a hefty bonus if you score early: up to minute 5, goals are worth four times as much. If you prefer the long game, **"El Ferrocarril"** gives you a nice boost per goal from minute 35 until the end, worth four times as much. And if you want each goal to count for more as the match goes on, **"Escalera de gol"" makes the first one worth one, the second two, the third three, and so on.

## Tactics to control the scoreboard

But it's not all about scoring goals like crazy. Some strategies focus mainly on stopping the other team from scoring, or limiting the damage. **"Tactica Defensiva 6-3-1"", for example, makes any goals conceded after minute 15 of the second half not count. Imagine the peace of mind of knowing that, if you hold out until that point, a goal against you won't hurt. Another one along those lines is **"Madrugar y Bajar la Persiana"", which gives you double goals if you score in the first 30 minutes, but if they score against you after minute 20 of the second half, those goals don't count. It's like saying: "I score early and then I shut up shop".

Then you have the ones that are more aggressive about neutralising the opponent. **"Intoxicar a los delanteros rivales"" means the opposing strikers' goals don't count until minute 20 of the second half. It's a way of telling them: "you're not scoring today, at least not the easy way". **"Anular al equipo Rival"" is even more forceful: from minute 35, the rival defenders' goals don't count, from minute 45 the midfielders' don't either, and from minute 25 of the second half, the strikers stop scoring for them too. Basically, you wipe out almost all of their attacking lines as the match goes on.

## The "payment" factor and risk

And then there's the more... let's say "creative" side of things. Some strategies involve a certain risk, or an outright payment. **"Pagar al arbitro"" is one of the quirkiest. If the match ends 0-0, 1-1 or 2-2, you get an extra goal and win. Of course, if both teams pick the same one, the home side takes the benefit. This gives you a clear edge in tight draws.

But not everything is that straightforward. Some strategies come with "punishments" if you lose. For example, **"La Naranja Mecanica"" gives you double goals in the first half and triple in the second, but if you lose, you're docked 5 points. **"Pagar al juez de linea con riesgo"" cancels the first goal conceded against you until minute 80, but if you lose, you also lose 5 points. And **"Paso a paso"", which combines paying the referee and the linesman, penalises you with 7 points if you lose, and if your rival "reverses" the strategy on you, it takes 4 points away. It's an "all or nothing" game.

## Strategies that play with psychology

Let's not forget the ones that appeal more to the head, to psychology. **"Amenazar a los jugadores"" gives you two attack and neutralisation strategies, but if you lose, you're suspended for the next matchday and start 0-2 down. Or **"Incentivar a la Violencia"", which gives you no direct benefit, but if you win, you take 3 points off your rival. It's a way of saying: "I don't gain anything, but you come out worse off".

There are others that are a bit more subtle, but just as interesting. **"El Antifutbol"" gives you the win if you draw, and goals conceded after minute 15 of the second half don't count. If you lose, you're docked 6 points. It's a way of securing the result, or at least making life difficult for your rival. And **"La Base esta"" has two sides: if you start 1-0 up, the rival's goals don't count after 20 minutes. If you start behind, your goals are worth triple from that moment on. If you lose, you're docked 4 points.

In the end, picking a strategy is a bit like betting. You have to weigh the pros and cons, think about your rival, and decide whether the risk is worth it. Because in football, sometimes strategy is what makes the difference between glory and heartbreak. And if it also lets you play with the rules, well, that's the icing on the cake.