Newell's Football Formation

Starting Lineup

1- K. Navas
10- L. Messi*
5- E. Banega
8- A. Moreno
2- T. Jacob
32- C. González
6- S. Salcedo
29- R. Rotondi
6- L. Martínez
4- F. Escobar
9- E. Ponce

Newell's seeks to control the tempo through central dominance and high pressing in a 3-5-2. This formation is built to dominate the middle of the pitch and use vertical passing to catch opponents out of position. The team aims to win the ball high up the pitch and quickly move it into the final third to overwhelm the opposition defense.

K. Navas starts between the posts to organize the defensive unit. The back line operates as a back three consisting of T. Jacob, S. Salcedo, and L. Martínez. T. Jacob acts as the right centre-back to cover the wide area, while L. Martínez holds the left side. S. Salcedo sits in the middle to win headers and sweep behind the line when needed. This trio stays compact to deny space between the defenders and forces the opposition to play wide.

The midfield functions as a five man unit that controls the center. E. Banega and A. Moreno form a central pairing to control the game, with Banega acting as a deep lying playmaker to recycle possession. L. Messi operates as an attacking ten behind the strikers, looking to play through the lines and find space between the lines. R. Rotondi and F. Escobar provide the width from the flanks, with both players expected to track back and help the defenders while also pushing up to support the attack.

In the final third, Newell's uses two forwards in a partnership to stretch the defense. E. Ponce leads the line as a striker to hold up the ball and battle with defenders. C. González plays alongside him, looking to make runs in behind and arrive late into the box. The team builds play by using the wide players to spread the defense, which creates gaps in the middle for L. Messi to exploit. They look to combine in tight spaces to break the defensive block.

This formation offers several tactical advantages for the club. The central trio of Banega, Moreno, and Messi creates numerical superiority in the middle of the pitch. The wide players, R. Rotondi and F. Escobar, provide the ability to create wide overloads when they overlap the attackers. This setup also allows the team to press in a mid-block or transition quickly when they win the second ball.

The 3-5-2 lineup is designed to dominate possession and squeeze the space in the center. It is best suited for games where the team needs to control the tempo against a side that plays with a narrow midfield.