Grêmio Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Marchesín (Cabral) · Caio (Reinaldo) · Jemerson (João Pedro) · Kannemann (Fábio) · Geromel (Ely) · Carballo (Pepê) · Villasanti (Edenilson) · Soteldo (Cristaldo) · Braithwaite (Pavón) · D.Costa (Arezo) · Aravena (Monsalve)

Grêmio prioritizes a compact defensive block and quick transitions through a 5-4-1 formation. This lineup is built to sit deep and frustrate opponents before hitting them on the break. The team relies on a narrow defensive unit to deny central space, forcing the opposition to play wide where they can be contained.

D.Costa guards the goal as the last line of defense. The back five consists of Carballo and Soteldo acting as the central defenders, with Villasanti positioned as the right centre-back to provide cover. Braithwaite operates as the left wing-back to provide width, while Aravena acts as the right wing-back. These wide defenders are tasked to push up when the team has the ball and drop back to form a flat five when defending. The central defenders focus on winning the second ball and holding a disciplined line to prevent runners from getting behind.

The midfield unit works in a flat four to squeeze the space between the lines. Geromel and Kannemann sit in the central roles to protect the defense and recycle possession. Geromel works to shield the back three, while Kannemann links the defensive line to the attack. Caio and Jemerson occupy the wide midfield roles, tasked to track back and help the wing-backs while looking to carry the ball forward in transition. This midfield group aims to stay compact to prevent opponents from playing through the middle.

Marchesín operates as a lone striker, acting as a target man to hold up the ball. He must fight against two central defenders to win long balls and lay it off to the oncoming midfielders. The attack relies on the wing-backs, Braithwaite and Aravena, to provide width and deliver crosses into the box. When Grêmio wins the ball high up the pitch, Marchesín tries to pin the last defender to create space for Caio or Jemerson to arrive late into the box.

The main tactical advantages of this 5-4-1 are the extreme compactness when defending and the ability to counter at pace. By keeping the lines close together, Grêmio makes it very difficult for opponents to find passing lanes through the center. The presence of Braithwaite and Aravena allows the team to create wide overloads during transitions, catching the opposition out of position.

This formation is a defensively solid setup designed to frustrate dominant teams that control possession. Grêmio will find success using this lineup against opponents that struggle to break down a low block.