Olympiacos Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Tzolakis (Paschalakis) · Pirola (Abbey) · Retsos (Biancone) · Rodinei (Costinha) · Ortega (Apostolopoulos) · Hezze (Stamenic) · Chiquinho (García) · Masouras (Biel) · El Kaabi (Kostoulas) · Martins (?) · Mouzakitis (?)

Olympiacos favors a direct, high-pressing style of play when using a 5-2-3. This formation is built to win the ball high up the pitch and launch quick attacks to catch opponents out of position. The team aims to use the wide areas to stretch the defense and create chances for the striker through rapid transitions.

Tzolakis sits behind the defensive unit to act as the last line of defense. The back line operates as a back five with Hezze acting as the central man to clear the lines and win the header. Pirola and Retsos serve as the wide centre-backs to cover the channels and defend zonally. Ortega and Rodinei operate as attacking wing backs, pushing high to provide width while they track back to form a compact block when the ball is lost. This lineup allows the unit to shift as a whole to deny the turn to attackers.

The midfield functions as a double pivot consisting of Mouzakitis and Chiquinho. These two players must control the center of the pitch and pick up runners to stop counter attacks. Mouzakitis works to connect the defense to the attack, while Chiquinho looks to carry the ball forward and win the second ball in the middle third. They need to press in a mid-block to force a long ball from the opposition and recycle possession quickly to maintain control.

Up front, Olympiacos uses three attackers to pin the last defender. El Kaabi acts as a pressing centre-forward with clinical finishing and sharp movement in the box. Masouras plays as an inverted winger on the left to cut inside and create, while Martins operates on the right to stretch the defense. The team builds play by using the wing backs to overlap the winger, allowing Masouras and Martins to find the feet of the striker or exploit the space behind the defensive line.

One major advantage for Olympiacos is the ability to press high in coordinated waves using the front three and the wing backs. The presence of the wing backs allows for wide overloads that force the opposition to pull wide and leave gaps in the center. Additionally, the back five offers great compactness when defending in a low block, making it hard for opponents to find space between the lines or through the middle.

This 5-2-3 formation provides a balance of defensive solidity and rapid transition play. It is best suited for matches against teams that sit deep or for games where the squad needs to catch a heavy favorite on the break.