Strategy: What causes teams like Barca and Ajax to blow 3-0 aggregate leads?

[Atamasama]

@EllisDee

American football has a similar concept and silly cliche regarding it: When teams get a big lead, they focus on stopping the “big play” quick score by lining up a bunch of defenders deep – conceding runs and short passes – and just waiting for the clock to run out. This is called the “prevent defense.”

As the cliche goes, the only thing a Prevent Defense does is prevent yourself from winning.

This is also called “taking your foot off the gas” and often loses games the same way slowing down can lose a race.