Bologna Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Bologna aims to control the center of the pitch through a heavy midfield presence, utilizing a 2-5-3 formation. This lineup is built to dominate possession and use a high press to win the ball back quickly. By crowding the middle, the team looks to suffocate the opponent and create passing lanes through the central areas.

Skorupski acts as the last line of defense behind a very high line. The defensive unit relies on a back two of Lucumí and Beukema, who must be ready to cover large amounts of space behind them. Lucumí and Beukema operate as ball playing defenders, looking to play short from the back to find the midfielders. Because there are only two central defenders, they must be comfortable in one on one situations and quick to step up to catch attackers offside.

The midfield is the engine of this Bologna lineup, utilizing a five man block to control the game. Lykogiannis and Holm form a double pivot to shield the defense and recycle possession. Freuler and Pobega operate in the half spaces, helping to link the defense to the attack. Ferguson plays as the attacking ten, finding pockets of space to create chances. This massive midfield unit is designed to compress the midfield and deny the opposition time on the ball.

Up front, the team employs three attackers to stretch the defense. Castro acts as the central striker, working to find the feet of the striker and hold up the ball for others. Ndoye and Orsolini operate as wide wingers who hug the touchline to provide width. Ndoye and Orsolini are tasked to cut inside and create overloads, while also pressing the opposition back line. The goal is to create runs in behind or allow the midfielders to arrive late into the box.

One major advantage of this formation is the numerical superiority in midfield, which makes it difficult for opponents to progress the ball. The team can also use the wide players to isolate wide players in one on one situations once the midfield has moved the ball quickly. By having five players in the middle, they can squeeze the space and trigger a press in unison to force a long ball from the opponent.

This 2-5-3 formation focuses on heavy central control and aggressive pressing. It is best suited for games where the team wants to dominate the ball and pin the opponent into their own half.