Freiburg Football Formation

Starting Lineup

N. Atubolu · L. Kübler · M. Ginter · P. Lienhart · C. Günter · M. Eggestein · P. Osterhage · R. Doan · E. Dinkçi (Röhl / Rosenfelder) · V. Grifo · J. Adamu

Freiburg aims to play a direct and vertical style of football using a 4-2-4 formation. This lineup is built to catch opponents on the break and exert immense pressure on the opposition defensive line. By spreading the pitch wide and utilizing a high number of attackers, the team looks to overwhelm the back four through rapid transitions and constant movement in the final third.

N. Atubolu operates between the posts as the first line of defense. The back four consists of a flat defensive line where L. Kübler and C. Günter play as full backs. L. Kübler looks to overlap to provide width on the right, while C. Günter manages the left flank. In the center, M. Ginter and P. Lienhart form a central defensive pair. Ginter uses his aerial strength to defend crosses, while Lienhart acts as a ball playing defender to start attacks. The unit works to hold a high line to keep the team compact.

A double pivot provides the link between the defense and the attack. M. Eggestein and P. Osterhage occupy the central spaces to control the tempo. Eggestein acts as a carrier to drive the ball forward, while Osterhage sits slightly deeper to shield the defense and intercept passes. This two man midfield must work hard to cover the space left by the attacking full backs. They aim to recycle possession and quickly find the forwards to initiate a transition.

The attacking unit is split into a front four that focuses on stretching the defense. V. Grifo and R. Doan act as inverted wingers on the left and right, cutting inside to create goal scoring chances or deliver crosses. They look to isolate defenders in one on one situations. Up front, E. Dinkçi and J. Adamu play as a strike partnership. One often acts to hold up the ball to bring others into play, while the other looks to make runs in behind to attack the space.

Freiburg finds success through the speed of transition and the ability to create wide overloads. The movement of the wingers combined with the runs of the full backs allows the team to overwhelm the flanks. Furthermore, the presence of two central strikers creates a constant threat in the box, forcing the opposition center backs to stay deep and preventing them from stepping up into the midfield.

This 4-2-4 formation is designed for a high tempo game that relies on quick verticality. It is most effective when facing opponents that leave large gaps between their midfield and defensive lines.