Estudiantes (LP) Football Formation

Starting Lineup

12- M. Mansilla
14- S. Boselli
6- S. Núñez
3- Funes Mori*
5- S. Ascacíbar
8- Gabi Neves
25- C. Medina
17- J. Burgos
9- G. Carrillo
20- E. Meza
22- A. Castro

Estudiantes (LP) focuses on a direct and compact style of play, operating primarily through a 3-5-2 formation. This lineup aims to dominate the central areas of the pitch while remaining extremely difficult to break down through the middle. By controlling the central corridors, the team looks to win the ball and move forward with purpose to exploit the opposition.

In goal, M. Mansilla guards the net as the last line of defense. The defensive unit employs a back three that sits in a narrow defensive block to deny space. S. Boselli acts as the right centre-back to cover the wide areas, while S. Núñez holds the central position to win headers and command the area. Funes Mori operates as the left centre-back to provide cover and intercept long balls. This three-man line works to stay close together, squeezing the space between the defenders and the midfield.

The midfield is built around a single pivot, S. Ascacíbar, who sits deep to shield the defense. He works alongside C. Medina and Gabi Neves, who operate as two central midfielders to control the tempo and recycle possession. Gabi Neves uses his passing range to find teammates, while C. Medina carries the ball forward to link the lines. On the flanks, A. Castro and E. Meza act as wing backs to provide the necessary width. These two must track back to help the defense but also push up to support the attack.

The attacking unit uses two forwards in a partnership to pressure the opposition back line. G. Carrillo and J. Burgos work together to occupy the two central defenders. G. Carrillo plays as a pressing centre-forward to force mistakes, while J. Burgos looks to hold up the ball and link play with the advancing midfielders. The team builds attacks by spreading wide with the wing backs to create overloads, before looking to play through the lines to find the strikers in scoring positions.

Estudiantes (LP) gains a clear tactical advantage through numerical superiority in the central midfield. This allows them to dominate the second ball and control the tempo of the game. Additionally, the ability of A. Castro and E. Meza to cover the entire flank creates wide overloads that force the opposition to defend much larger areas of the pitch.

This formation provides a solid foundation for a team that wants to be hard to beat while staying central. It is best suited for matches against teams that play with wide wingers and require a compact block to deny penetration.