Austria Wien Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Guenouche · Ranftl · Plavotic · Dragovic · Wiesinger · Maybach · Fischer · Fitz · Sarkaria · Botic · Radlinger

Austria Wien looks to control the tempo of the game through a central core while maintaining a heavy presence in the half spaces in this 3-5-2. This formation is built to play a high press and rely on quick transitions once the ball is won. The lineup allows for a dense midfield that can squeeze the space in the center of the pitch and force the opposition into wide areas.

Radlinger starts between the posts to oversee the defensive unit. The back three consists of Dragovic, Plavotic, and Wiesinger working in a narrow defensive block. Dragovic acts as a ball playing defender to initiate play, while Plavotic and Wiesinger focus on winning the second ball and covering the space behind if the team plays a high line. The defenders work together to keep the lines tight and defend zonally to prevent through balls.

The midfield relies on a three man midfield with a carrier and an attacking ten. Fischer and Maybach operate in the central area to protect the back three and connect the defensive and attacking lines. Fitz plays as an attacking ten behind the strikers to find pockets of space and play through the lines. On the flanks, Ranftl and Guenouche act as wing backs to provide width and track back when the team loses possession. Fischer and Maybach help to compress the midfield and prevent the opposition from playing through the center.

The attacking unit utilizes two forwards in a partnership to stretch the defence. Sarkaria and Botic work together to lead the press from the front and pin the last defender. Botic often holds up the ball to allow Fitz and the midfielders to arrive late into the box. Sarkaria looks to make runs in behind the defensive line to exploit space. The team builds attacks by using the wing backs to spread wide, which creates space in the middle for Sarkaria and Botic to combine in tight spaces.

Austria Wien finds success through several tactical advantages. The presence of five midfielders allows for numerical superiority in the center, making it hard for opponents to control the ball. The wing backs, Ranftl and Guenouche, create wide overloads when they overlap the midfielders. This setup also allows the team to press in coordinated waves, using Fitz and the strikers to trigger a press high up the pitch.

This 3-5-2 formation provides a balance of central density and wide coverage. It is best suited for games where the team needs to win the ball high up the pitch and counter at pace.