Roma Football Formation
July 8, 2025
Pretorian
Starting Lineup
IBAÑES · SMAILING · MANCINI · SPINAZZOLA · MATIC · CRISTANTE · CELIK · PELLEGRINI · ABRAHAM · DYBALA · PATRÍCIORoma employs a high press and a vertical style of play within a 3-5-2 formation. This lineup focuses on winning the ball high up the pitch to catch opponents out of position. The team aims to use the width of the pitch to stretch the defence before playing through the lines.
PATRÍCIO stands between the posts to lead the defensive unit. The back three consists of SMAILING, IBAÑES, and MANCINI. MANCINI acts as a defender who is dominant in the air while IBAÑES provides cover for the line. SMAILING plays as a ball playing centre back to help play short from the back. They often push up to set the offside trap and squeeze the space between the lines.
In the middle of the pitch, Roma uses a double pivot to control the tempo. MATIC sits deep to shield the defence and recycle possession. CRISTANTE plays as a carrier who can drive forward with the ball into the half spaces. PELLEGRINI operates as an attacking ten behind the strikers to connect the lines and arrive late into the box. CELIK and SPINAZZOLA act as wide midfielders who provide the width. SPINAZZOLA often overlaps to deliver crosses, while CELIK must track back to help the defence.
The attack is led by a partnership of two forwards. ABRAHAM acts as a target man to hold up the ball and win the header in the box. DYBALA plays as a second striker who likes to cut inside from the right to create chances. This duo uses combinations to pull defenders out of position. When the team wins the ball, they look to hit in behind on the transition with quick passes to the forwards.
This formation offers several tactical advantages. The double pivot of MATIC and CRISTANTE provides compactness when defending a lead. CELIK and SPINAZZOLA create wide overloads by pushing high up the pitch to support the attack. This allows Roma to pin the last defender and create space for PELLEGRINI to operate. The team can also win the second ball effectively in the middle of the pitch.
This 3-5-2 is built for teams that want to dominate the central areas and strike with speed. It is best suited for matches against opponents who play a high line and leave space for quick transitions.