Juventus Football Formation
Starting Lineup
Vlahovic (Milik) · Berardi (Soule) · Chiesa (Yildiz) · Douglas Luiz (Miretti) · Koopmeiners (Fagioli) · Locatelli (Alcaraz) · Di Gregorio (Perin) · Cambiasso (Iling-Jr) · Danilo (De Sciglio) · Calafiori (Rugani) · Bremer (Gatti)Juventus aims for a defensively solid identity, relying on a 5-2-3 formation. This lineup is built to sit deep and strike with speed once the ball is won. The team focuses on maintaining a narrow block to deny space to the opposition before looking to hit in behind on the transition.
Di Gregorio stays in goal to command his area. The back line functions as a back five, working to maintain a compact unit. Douglas Luiz sits in the center to hold the line, while Bremer acts as a dominant force in the air to win the header and Calafiori plays as a ball playing defender to the left. On the flanks, Danilo operates as an attacking wing back on the right, while Cambiasso provides width as an attacking wing back on the left. The whole unit works to squeeze the space and ensure they do not get caught out when the opponent tries to spread wide.
In the middle, Locatelli and Koopmeiners form a double pivot. Locatelli works to shield the defence and intercept passes in the central zone. Koopmeiners is tasked to carry the ball forward and arrive late into the box to provide a threat. They connect the defensive and attacking lines by looking to play through the lines and recycling possession when needed. They must also track back to help the wing backs when the team is out of possession.
The front line uses three attackers, with Vlahovic acting as a target man. Vlahovic is able to hold up the ball and find the feet of his teammates to start attacks. The forwards press from the front to force a long ball. On the left, Chiesa plays as an inverted winger who will cut inside with his quick dribbling to create chances, while Berardi operates on the right to stretch the defence. The attacking movements rely on the width from Danilo and Cambiasso to allow Chiesa and Berardi to find space in the half spaces. They often attack in combinations to isolate defenders in one on one situations.
A major strength of this Juventus lineup is the ability to maintain compactness when defending. The back five makes it very hard for opponents to penetrate the central areas. Additionally, the team can exploit the speed of transition through the quick runs of Chiesa and Berardi. The presence of Koopmeiners also provides a tactical advantage when he arrives late into the box to challenge for the second ball.
This 5-2-3 formation is designed to defend a lead or absorb pressure against dominant sides. It is most effective when playing against teams that commit many players forward and leave space behind their defensive line.