Girona Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Gazzaniga (Juan Carlos) · Blind (Juanpe) · David López (Krejci) · Miguel Gutierrez · Arnau (Francés) · Arthur (Oriol Romeu) · Iván Martín (Van de Beek) · Herrera (Solís) · Danjuma (Bryan Gil/Misehouy) · Tsygankov (Asprilla/Portu) · Abel Ruíz (Miovsky/Stuani)

Girona plays a vertical style of football with a 5-2-3 formation. The team relies on a high press to win the ball high up the pitch and use quick transitions to score. This lineup is built to exploit spaces left by opponents who push too far forward. They want to win the ball back high up the pitch to catch the opposition before they can organize their defensive block and maintain control.

Gazzaniga operates as the goalkeeper. The defensive unit consists of a back five with Arthur, Blind, and David López as the central three. Arthur plays to cover the space behind while Blind and David López act as ball playing defenders to play out from the back. Miguel Gutierrez and Arnau play as attacking wing backs to provide width. The unit maintains a compact line to deny the turn and force the opposition wide. The center backs work to win the second ball and clear the lines when under pressure to keep the team stable.

The midfield consists of a double pivot featuring Iván Martín and Herrera. Iván Martín works to carry the ball forward and connect the defense to the attack. Herrera stays deeper to shield the defense and intercept passes. They work together to press in a mid-block and recycle possession when needed. The duo must often drop between the center backs to receive the ball or step up to squeeze the space in the middle of the pitch.

The attacking unit uses three players across the front. Abel Ruíz plays as a lone striker to hold up the ball and find the feet of his teammates. Danjuma and Tsygankov act as inverted wingers who cut inside to create chances. This movement allows Miguel Gutierrez and Arnau to overlap the winger and provide crosses or cutbacks from the byline. The forwards press from the front to trigger a press against the opposition back line and hunt for turnovers. They look to play a one-two and combine in tight spaces to break the line.

Girona gains a tactical advantage through wide overloads as the wing backs push high to join the attack. This creates numerical superiority in the wide areas. The team also possesses great speed of transition to hit in behind on the transition. The formation provides compactness when defending and allows the players to move as a unit to dominate the wings or the center.

This 5-2-3 formation creates a side that is very difficult to play through. It is best suited for facing teams that play with a high line and allow space behind the defense.