Roma Football Formation
Starting Lineup
Hermoso · Mancini · Angeliño · Rensch · Paredes · Cristante · Dovbyk · Pellegrini · Dybala · Zalewski · SvilarRoma aims to control the tempo and dominate territory through a high line and heavy presence in the middle of the pitch. This aggressive lineup uses a 2-5-3 formation to overload the center and create constant pressure in the final third. The goal is to win the ball back high up the pitch and use vertical passing to find the forwards quickly.
Svilar acts as the last line of defense while playing a sweeping role behind a high defensive line. Mancini and Hermoso form a two man central defense that must be ready to step up and intercept long balls. Mancini is dominant in the air and provides physical strength, while Hermoso is a ball playing defender who can play short from the back. Because there are only two central defenders, they must be ready to defend large spaces if the opposition breaks the line.
The midfield is packed with talent to ensure control and connectivity. Paredes acts as the deep lying playmaker to recycle possession and find teammates in advanced positions. Cristante works to shield the defense and wins the second ball, while Rensch and Angeliño occupy the wider roles in the midfield five to protect the flanks. Pellegrini operates as the attacking ten behind the striker, looking to find pockets of space and play through the lines to link the midfield to the attack.
In the final third, Roma uses three attackers to pin the opposition back line. Dovbyk serves as a strong target man to hold up the ball and win headers. Zalewski plays as an inverted winger on the left to cut inside and create chances, while Dybala operates on the right to drift into half spaces and pick up runners. These three work in combinations to create runs in behind or deliver crosses into the box for Dovbyk.
One major advantage of this formation is the numerical superiority in midfield which allows Roma to squeeze the space in the center. The team can also use wide overloads by having Angeliño and Rensch push up to support the attackers. This setup creates a high press in coordinated waves that makes it very difficult for opponents to build out from the back.
This 2-5-3 formation is built for teams that want to dominate possession and suffocate the opponent in their own half. It is best suited for matches where Roma can afford to take risks to win the ball back high up the pitch.