Fiorentina Football Formation

Starting Lineup

38 A. Fernandez (vc)
2 Djilobodji (6 Smalling)
4 Rojo (19 Milosevic)
5 Koné (21 Della Rocca)
16 Insua (3 Biraghi)
8 Matip (15 Mendy)
20 Borja Valero (C) (18 Mahlangu)
10 F. Rossi (28 Marrone)
7 Callejon (29 Bernardeschi)
9 Remy (11 Depay)
14 Mertens (61 Silvestri)

Fiorentina aim to play a direct and vertical style of football through a 5-2-3 formation. This lineup focuses on defensive stability while looking to hit the opposition quickly in transition. The team uses the extra defenders to stay compact when sitting deep, creating a platform to launch attacks once the ball is won back.

A. Fernandez operates between the posts to command his area. The defensive unit sits in a back five, with Matip acting as the central leader to win the header and organize the line. Djilobodji plays as a right centre-back to provide physical presence, while Rojo covers the left side of the central trio. The width is provided by Insua as an attacking left wing back and Koné as an attacking right wing back. These wide players must track back to form a flat five when the team defends zonally, but they are expected to push high to provide width in the attacking phase.

The midfield consists of a two man unit tasked with controlling the center of the pitch. Borja Valero (C) acts as the captain and central engine, using his passing range to connect the defence and attack. He works alongside F. Rossi to manage the middle third. While one midfielder stays to shield the defence, the other can drive forward with the ball to support the front three. This duo must work to win the second ball and ensure they do not get bypassed when the opposition tries to play through the lines.

Fiorentina utilizes three attackers to stretch the defence. Remy acts as a lone striker to hold up the ball and pin the last defender. On the flanks, Mertens operates as an inverted winger on the left to cut inside, while Callejon plays on the right to find space in the half spaces. The front three press from the front to force a long ball from the opposition. When attacking, Insua and Koné overlap the wingers to create overloads, allowing the forwards to find the feet of the striker or make runs in behind.

This formation offers significant advantages in terms of defensive compactness. By having a back five, Fiorentina can squeeze the space between the lines and deny the turn to attacking midfielders. The presence of attacking wing backs like Insua and Koné allows the team to quickly switch play and create wide overloads once they win the ball. This setup makes it very difficult for opponents to find gaps in the central areas.

The 5-2-3 lineup is built to be a sturdy defensive block that punishes teams on the break. It is best suited for matches against possession heavy opponents where sitting deep and hitting in behind is the main goal.