Milan Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Lewandowski 9 · Calafiori 3 · Aké 6 · van Dijk 4 (C) · Locatelli 5 · Donnarumma 99 · Salah 11 · Tonali 8 · Gakpo 7 · de Jong 21 · Cambiaso 20

Milan plays with a 5-2-3 formation. The team aims to win the ball high up the pitch and strike quickly in transition. This lineup is built to use width and central presence to break lines and catch opponents off guard.

Donnarumma uses his shot-stopping to protect the goal. The defence forms a back five with Calafiori on the left and Cambiaso on the right. These wing backs push up to provide width and overlap the winger. In the centre, Locatelli acts as the middle man of the three, while Aké covers the left side. van Dijk 4, the captain, leads the line on the right and uses his aerial strength to win the header. The unit can drop into a low block or step up to set the offside trap.

The midfield operates as a double pivot with de Jong and Tonali. de Jong acts as the carrier to progress through the thirds, using his press resistance to move the ball forward. Tonali uses his energy to cover the space and protect the back three. This duo connects the defence to the front three by finding the feet of the strikers. They must press in pairs to stop the opponent from playing out from the back.

Up front, Milan uses three attackers with Lewandowski as the central striker. Lewandowski works to hold up the ball and pin the last defender. Salah cuts inside from the right wing, using his pace and clinical finishing to score. Gakpo stays wide on the left to stretch the defence. When the team attacks, Calafiori and Cambiaso push high to create wide overloads. The front three press from the front to force a long ball from the opposition.

This 5-2-3 formation provides numerical superiority in wide areas because of the wing backs. The team also gains compactness when defending in a mid-block. Another advantage is the speed of transition when de Jong or Tonali win the second ball and hit in behind on the transition.

This Milan formation is ideal for teams that want to catch opponents on the break. It is best suited for matches against sides that play with high lines.