Borussia Dortmund Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Borussia Dortmund prefers to win the ball high up the pitch and strike with immense speed. This 5-2-3 formation focuses on a high press and rapid transitions to catch the opponent off guard. The lineup is built to squeeze the space in the opponent half and force a long ball that the central defenders can easily clear. By pressing from the front, the team seeks to regain possession quickly in dangerous areas.

Kobel sits in goal to command the penalty area. The defensive unit operates with a back five where Ryerson acts as an attacking wing back on the right and Svensson plays as the left wing back to provide width. In the center, Can holds the line and acts as a defensive anchor. Anton and Süle operate as the other two central defenders to cover the space. Süle uses his aerial strength to win the header when defending crosses, while Anton plays out from the back to start attacks. The unit shifts together to maintain a compact block and deny the turn to opposition attackers.

The midfield uses a two man pairing in the center. Sabitzer acts as a carrier to drive forward with the ball and transition the play from defense to attack. Brandt operates as one of the two tens in the half spaces, looking to receive on the half-turn and play through the lines. Sabitzer must help to protect the central zone and pick up runners from deep. Brandt connects the defensive and attacking lines by finding the feet of the striker or spreading wide to the wing backs.

The front line uses three attackers across the front to stretch the defence. Adeyemi plays as an inverted winger on the right to cut inside and look for runs in behind. Beier operates on the left to pull wide and deliver early crosses into the box. F. Silva stays central as a pressing centre-forward to hold up the ball and engage the defenders. This movement allows the team to attack in combinations, often with Ryerson overlapping the winger to create a cross on the run. The focus is to hit in behind on the transition and find space between the lines.

This formation offers significant tactical advantages for Borussia Dortmund. It creates wide overloads when the wing backs push high to support the attackers. The presence of three central defenders provides compactness when defending in a mid-block. Furthermore, the speed of transition allows the team to break quickly once the ball is won high up the pitch.

The 5-2-3 formation is a heavy pressing system designed for rapid counter attacks. It is best suited for facing opponents that play a high line and leave large gaps in the defensive third.