Maccabi Tel-Aviv Football Formation

Starting Lineup

מליקה (משפתי/גראפי) · אסנטה (בן ברוש) · הייטור (אסנטה) · קמארה (שלמה) · רביבו (גרופר) · בליץ (לדרמן) · פרץ (סיסוקו) · חאג׳י (נוי) · באליקווישה (אבו פרחי) · דוידה (יחזקאל) · מדמון (ניקולאסקו)

Maccabi Tel-Aviv aims to play with a direct, high pressing identity through a 5-2-3 formation. This lineup is built to sit in a mid-block and hit teams on the transition. The team seeks to win the ball high up the pitch and use the pace of the front three to attack quickly.

מליקה sits between the defenders to act as a sweeper when the team plays out from the back. The defensive unit consists of a back three made of בליץ, קמארה, and הייטור. בליץ holds the center of the line while קמארה and הייטור cover the space behind the wing backs. As attacking wing backs, רביבו and אסנטה push high to provide width, leaving the three central defenders to defend zonally. The unit works to squeeze the space between the lines and keep the team compact when defending.

The midfield operates as a double pivot with פרץ and חאג׳י controlling the center of the pitch. פרץ acts as a carrier to drive forward with the ball, while חאג׳י works to connect the defensive and attacking lines. They must work hard to win the second ball and protect the gap between the midfield and the back three. This pairing is responsible for recycling possession and finding the wide players to switch play.

In the attacking phase, Maccabi Tel-Aviv uses three attackers across the front. מדמון acts as a pressing centre-forward to pin the last defender and hold up the ball for others. באליקווישה and דוידה act as inverted wingers who cut inside to create chances or find space in the channels. The wide players often pull wide to stretch the defence before moving into central areas. This creates runs in behind and allows for combinations in tight spaces near the box.

This formation offers significant tactical advantages through its ability to press high in coordinated waves. The presence of three central defenders allows the team to stay compact when defending a low block. Additionally, the roles of רביבו and אסנטה create wide overloads that force the opposition to defend the flanks.

The 5-2-3 formation provides Maccabi Tel-Aviv with a solid base to absorb pressure and strike on the break. It is best suited for games against teams that play with high defensive lines or those that struggle to manage wide areas.