Alavés Football Formation

Starting Lineup

ANTONIO (SIVERA) · NAHUEL (TENAGLIA) · ABDELKABIR (ABQAR) · ÁLVARO (MOURIÑO) · MOUSSA (DIARRA) · JOAN (JORDÁN) · ANTONIO (BLANCO) · CARLOS (VICENTE) · JON (GURIDI) · CARLOS (MARTÍN) · KIKE (GARCÍA)

Alavés aims to be defensively solid by sitting deep and looking to strike on the break. This 5-4-1 formation focuses on denying space between the lines and staying compact throughout the match. The lineup is built to absorb pressure from dominant sides and use quick transitions to catch opponents out of position. By prioritizing defensive stability, the team can frustrate more technical sides.

In goal, KIKE acts as the last line of defense. The back five uses a narrow defensive block to protect the central areas. ANTONIO and JOAN serve as central defenders to win the header and clear the lines, while JON provides cover in the middle of the back three. The wing backs, CARLOS on the right and CARLOS on the left, are tasked with tracking back to help the defense and later providing width. They must squeeze the space when the ball moves wide to ensure the opposition cannot find easy passing lanes or cross the ball into the box.

The midfield unit operates in a four man line to protect the defensive unit. ABDELKABIR and ÁLVARO sit in the center to shield the defense and win the second ball. These two work to control the middle and recycle possession when the team can move forward. NAHUEL and MOUSSA operate on the flanks to press in a mid-block and track the opposition wingers. This group works to compress the midfield and ensures that no gaps open up between the defensive and attacking lines during build up.

ANTONIO serves as a lone striker to lead the press from the front. His primary role is to hold up the ball, find his teammates, and allow the team to move up the pitch during a transition. When the ball is won, the team looks to hit in behind on the transition, using the width provided by the wing backs to spread wide. The movement is designed to create runs in behind and allow the midfielders to carry the ball forward to support the attack.

The main advantage for Alavés is their extreme compactness when defending in a low block. By having five defenders and four midfielders, they make it very difficult for opponents to play through the lines or find space in the pockets. Another strength is the ability to counter at pace, using the wide areas to exploit spaces left by attacking sides. This provides the team with the flexibility to shift as a unit when they move from defense to attack.

This 5-4-1 lineup is a resilient way to stay in games against high possession teams. It is best suited for matches where the team needs to sit deep and wait for a single chance to break quickly.