Torino Football Formation
Starting Lineup
21 Hart (1 Mihaylov)36 Darmian (vc) (29 Zouma)
32 Matip (4 Vukcevic)
33 N'Koulou (C) (25 Glik (ritiro))
2 Santon (5 Cascione)
6 Acquah (14 Lancini)
20 Sissoko (10 Zito)
22 Obi (8 Sala)
9 Benteke (77 Mandorlini)
17 John (7 Verdi)
19 Aronica (11 Comi)
Torino relies on a heavy vertical style to catch teams on the break, utilizing a 2-5-3 formation. This lineup aims to control the center of the pitch by saturating the middle while looking to hit the opposition with directness. It is a setup built to absorb pressure and then launch rapid attacks through wide channels or central runners.
Joe Hart stands between the posts to organize the defensive line. The backline consists of a narrow duo with Joel Matip and captain N'Koulou acting as the central defenders. N'Koulou provides leadership and aerial strength while Matip covers the space behind when the team pushes forward. These two central defenders must hold the line and stay compact to prevent through balls from splitting them.
The midfield is heavily populated to dominate the central zones. A double pivot consisting of Santon and Darmian, who serves as the vice captain, provides a screen for the defense. Santon and Darmian work to win the second ball and protect the two center backs. Ahead of them, Acquah plays as the central engine to connect the play, while Obi and Sissoko operate in the half spaces as attacking midfielders. Obi and Sissoko push higher to press the opposition and find pockets of space between the lines.
In the attacking third, the team employs three forwards to stretch the defense. Benteke and John operate wide, with Benteke looking to cut inside and John stretching the play to provide width. Aronica acts as the lone striker and target man to hold up the ball and wait for support. The front three aim to press the opposition back line and create runs in behind. This configuration allows Torino to transition from a compact block to a wide attacking front very quickly.
This formation offers significant numerical superiority in the middle of the pitch, making it hard for opponents to play through the center. The presence of five midfielders allows the team to squeeze the space and win possession high up the pitch. Additionally, the wide positioning of Benteke and John can create one on one situations for the attackers.
Torino uses this high density in midfield to control games and win the ball back quickly. This formation is best suited for matches where the opponent tries to dominate possession through the middle.