Borussia Dortmund Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Mats Hummels · Jürgen Kohler · Dede · Stefan Reuter · Roman Weidenfeller · Matthias Sammer · Michael Zorc · Andreas Moller · Stéphane Chapuisat · Marco Reus · Sebastian Kehl

Borussia Dortmund focuses on a compact defensive block and quick transitions in this 4-5-1 formation. The team aims to control the middle of the pitch before hitting the opponent with speed. This lineup is built to defend deep and then move the ball forward quickly once possession is regained to catch the opposition.

Roman Weidenfeller sits in goal to organize the back line. The team defends in a flat back four with Stefan Reuter at right back and Dede at left back. Mats Hummels acts as a ball playing defender with his passing range while Jürgen Kohler is dominant in the air to defend zonally. The back four works together to stay narrow and deny the turn to opposition players. The full backs will hold the line and prevent crosses to keep the game in front of them.

The midfield features a double pivot of Matthias Sammer and Sebastian Kehl to shield the defense. Sammer uses his pressing intensity to win the ball high and disrupt play in the middle third. Michael Zorc acts as the central link to connect the defensive and attacking lines by recycling possession. Andreas Moller and Marco Reus push higher to play as two tens in the half spaces. Reus uses his dribbling to carry the ball forward and find ways to break the line.

Stéphane Chapuisat acts as a lone striker to lead the front line. He works to hold up the ball and link up play to allow others to join the attack. The attacking movements rely on Andreas Moller and Marco Reus to cut inside and find space between the lines. This creates room for the full backs to overlap and whip it in from the wings. The team aims to hit in behind on the transition and use quick combinations to score.

A major advantage of this formation is the compactness when defending in a mid-block. The five man midfield makes it hard for the opponent to play through the lines. Borussia Dortmund also gains numerical superiority in the middle of the pitch when Sammer and Kehl sit deep to protect the center. This allows the team to use the speed of transition to hit the opponent when they are pushed high.

This 4-5-1 formation is a very solid defensive lineup for the team. It is best suited for matches against teams that want to control possession and push high up the pitch.