Milan Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Luka Modric (Ardon Jashari) · Youssouf Fofana (Loftus-cheek) · Granit Xhaka (Samuele Ricci) · Pulisic (Saelemakers) · Rafa Leao (Laurienté) · Moise Kean (Santiago Gimenez) · De Cuyper (N. Fortini) · Jimenez (G. Doué) · Pavlovic (Thiaw) · G. Leoni (Gabbia) · Maignan (Sportiello)

Milan looks to play a vertical style of football through a 5-2-3 formation. This lineup aims to win the ball high up the pitch and move quickly toward the opposition goal. The system relies on heavy work rates from the wide players to cover the entire flank while maintaining a solid base to stop counters.

Maignan acts as the last line of defense, using his shot-stopping ability to secure the goal. The defensive unit operates as a back five with Luka Modric leading the central line. He works alongside Pavlovic and G. Leoni to provide aerial strength and cover space. Jimenez and De Cuyper act as attacking wing backs, pushing high to provide width. This allows the three central defenders to shift as a unit to deny the turn of any oncoming attacker.

The midfield functions as a double pivot consisting of Granit Xhaka and Youssouf Fofana. Xhaka works to control the tempo and recycle possession from deep, while Fofana uses his physicality to win the second ball and cover ground. They link the defensive line to the front three by playing through the lines. These two must remain compact to prevent opponents from playing through the center.

Milan uses three attackers to stretch the opposition defense. Rafa Leao and Pulisic operate as wide wingers who cut inside to create goalscoring chances. They often look to isolate defenders one on one. Moise Kean operates as a lone striker, looking to find the feet of the striker or make runs in behind. The front three press from the front to force a long ball from the opposition.

A major advantage of this lineup is the ability to create wide overloads when Jimenez and De Cuyper join the attack. This setup also provides great compactness when defending in a mid-block. The team can also transition quickly using the pace of the wide forwards to hit in behind on the transition.

This 5-2-3 formation is built for teams that want to control the flanks while remaining hard to break down centrally. It is best suited for matches against opponents who play with a narrow midfield.