Borussia Dortmund Football Formation

Starting Lineup

S.Haller · F.Nmecha · J.Brandt · D.Malen · M.Sabitzer · E.Can · R.Bensebaini · N.Schlotterbeck · M.Hummels · J.Ryerson · G.Kobel

Borussia Dortmund looks to sit deep and strike with speed in this 5-4-1 formation. This lineup is built to stay compact and play on the counter. The team aims to deny space in the middle and then hit the opposition when they lose control of the ball.

G.Kobel guards the goal while the defensive unit holds a narrow defensive block. Mats Hummels and Edmond Can form the central core of the back three. Hummels uses his passing range to find teammates from deep, while Can provides cover and strength in the air. Nico Schlotterbeck plays as the left centre-back to help cover the space. The wide defenders, Julian Ryerson and Ramy Bensebaini, act as attacking wing backs to provide width. Ryerson works hard to track back and defend the flank, whereas Bensebaini pushes up to support the midfield.

The midfield operates as a flat four to protect the back line. Marcel Sabitzer and Florian Nmecha occupy the central roles to shield the defence and win the second ball. Sabitzer can carry the ball forward to link play, while Nmecha helps to press in a mid-block. On the flanks, Julian Brandt and Donyell Malen occupy the wide areas. Brandt looks to create chances through the lines, and Malen uses his pace to drive forward. This midfield unit works to compress the space between the lines and force the opponent wide.

Serhou Haller acts as a lone striker and a target man for the team. He works to hold up the ball and wait for support from the runners behind him. When Dortmund wins the ball, Brandt and Malen look to exploit the space behind the opposition full backs. The wing backs, Ryerson and Bensebaini, overlap the wide players to create numbers in the final third. The goal is to find Haller in tight spaces or to use him to lay it off for late runners.

This formation offers strong compactness when defending to deny the opponent any central access. It also creates speed of transition once the ball is won in the middle of the pitch. Borussia Dortmund can use the width of the wing backs to stretch the defence during quick breaks.

The 5-4-1 setup is a resilient way to play against teams that dominate possession. It is best suited for games where the team needs to absorb pressure and exploit gaps on the break.