Borussia Dortmund Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Borussia Dortmund prefers to play a vertical style of football through a 3-5-2 formation. This lineup focuses on winning the ball back high up the pitch and hitting the opposition in transition. The team aims to use central dominance to control the tempo and create quick chances before the defense can settle.

Haja operates between the posts to secure the goal. The back three consists of Gvardiol, AKE, and Xhaka. Xhaka plays as the left centre back to provide stability, while AKE covers the right side. Gvardiol acts as the central defender to sweep behind the line and cover space. When defending, this unit can drop into a low block to deny space between the lines or step up to compress the space.

The midfield works in a five man unit to control the center of the pitch. Yoo Seong Won acts as the single pivot to shield the defense and recycle possession. Gurneya and MoonDI operate as the two central midfielders to drive forward with the ball and connect the defense to the attack. Bellingham plays on the right side to provide width and Bellingham carries the ball forward to stretch the defense. JJUM occupies the left side to provide similar width and help the midfield press in a mid-block.

Borussia Dortmund uses two forwards in a partnership to lead the attack. Vinaaa and JooN_KR work together to pressure the opposition back line. Vinaaa often plays as the striker who looks to find the feet of the striker, while JooN_KR makes runs in behind to exploit gaps. The wingers pull wide to create space for the central players to combine in tight spaces. This attacking front line is designed to create cutbacks from the byline and quick combinations to split the defense with a through ball.

This formation offers several tactical advantages for Borussia Dortmund. The presence of a five man midfield allows for numerical superiority in the center of the pitch. The wide midfielders Bellingham and JJUM allow the team to create wide overloads when they overlap the wingers. This lineup also provides the ability to press high in coordinated waves to win the ball back quickly.

This 3-5-2 formation is built to dominate the central areas and strike with speed. It is best suited for games where the team needs to control the middle of the pitch and exploit the space left by an attacking opponent.