Borussia Dortmund Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Borussia Dortmund prefers to play with a direct and counter attacking identity in a 5-2-3 formation. This lineup is designed to absorb pressure and then strike quickly when the opposition leaves space behind. It relies on a compact defensive block to force turnovers and launch rapid attacks.

Kobel stays between the posts to anchor the defense. The back line uses a five man lineup with Can sitting centrally to hold the position. Süle and Anton operate as the wide center backs to cover the channels and win headers. Ryerson and Svensson act as attacking wing backs to provide width and stretch the opposition. When the team loses the ball, the unit drops into a low block to deny space between the lines.

The midfield consists of a two man pairing with Brandt and Sabitzer. Sabitzer works to protect the center and wins the second ball to keep play moving. Brandt connects the defensive unit to the front three and looks to play through the lines with incisive passes. These two must cover large amounts of ground to prevent the opposition from dominating the middle of the pitch.

An aggressive front three leads the charge with F. Silva acting as the central striker. Beier and Adeyemi operate as wide attackers who look to cut inside and threaten the goal. The team uses the pace of Adeyemi and Beier to hit in behind on the transition. F. Silva works to hold up the ball and lay it off to the runners. This creates chances through combinations and quick movement in the final third.

One major advantage is the ability to maintain compactness when defending in a deep block. The wide center backs and central trio of Süle, Can, and Anton make it hard to play through the middle. Another strength is the speed of transition which allows the team to move from a defensive formation to an attacking one in seconds. The wide players can also exploit space if the opposition full backs push too far forward.

This 5-2-3 formation provides a solid base for Borussia Dortmund when they want to defend deep and strike on the break. It is best used against opponents who control possession and leave gaps for runners to exploit.