Empoli Football Formation

Starting Lineup

6. BONTEMPO (SX 182)
5.SCIOTTO/SACCA' (DX 182/ DX 180)
2. NOTO 07 (DX 178)
3.ZINGALES 05/GIAIMO (DX 182/ DX 180)
4. PETRULLO (DX 180)
10. TROVATO (SX 178)
8.SCOLARO/ZINGALES 05 (SX 177 / DX 182)
11. DE VITA (DX 177)
9.PONTINI/TRAVIGLIA (SX 183 / DX 183)
7. DE GAETANO (DX 177)
1.CAPPA (DX 183)

Empoli aims to play a vertical game that prioritizes quick transitions and overwhelming the opponent in the final third. This aggressive style is built around a 2-5-3 formation. The lineup seeks to squeeze the space in the middle of the pitch while using extreme width to stretch the opposition.

CAPPA guards the goal as the last line of defense. The defensive unit relies on a narrow pair of central defenders consisting of SCIOTTO/SACCA' and BONTEMPO. These two must be ready to step up to support the high line or cover large areas of space if the team is caught on the break. Because there are only two central defenders, they must defend zonally and be highly effective in winning the second ball to prevent direct attacks.

The midfield is a dense block designed to control the center and the half spaces. PETRULLO acts as the central anchor, working to protect the two central defenders and recycle possession. NOTO and ZINGALES 05/GIAIMO operate as the central drivers, looking to carry the ball forward and connect the defense to the attack. To provide maximum width and create overloads, SCOLARO/ZINGALES and TROVATO push up as the wide midfielders on the right and left flanks. This five man midfield unit makes it very difficult for opponents to find passing lanes through the middle.

In the attacking phase, Empoli utilizes three forwards to pin the opposition back line. DE GAETANO stays wide on the right to isolate defenders, while DE VITA occupies the left flank. PONTINI/TRAVIGLIA operates as the central striker, tasked to hold up the ball and find the feet of the oncoming midfielders. The team looks to create combinations in tight spaces, using the wide midfielders to pull wide and create cutbacks from the byline or through balls between the lines.

This formation offers significant tactical advantages through its ability to create wide overloads. By using five players in the middle row, Empoli can achieve numerical superiority in the center of the pitch. The coordination of the wide players allows the team to press high in coordinated waves, forcing the opponent into mistakes. This setup also allows for a very rapid transition once the ball is won in the middle third.

The 2-5-3 formation for Empoli is a high risk, high reward system built for aggressive attacking. It is best suited for games where the team needs to dominate possession and break down a team sitting in a deep block.