San Lorenzo Football Formation

Starting Lineup

San Lorenzo focuses on a defensively solid identity, utilizing a 5-4-1 formation to control the tempo of the game. This lineup is built to sit deep and frustrate the opposition through a narrow defensive block. The team looks to stay compact and then break quickly using vertical passing in transition.

Salinardi operates in goal to command the penalty area. The back line features a central trio of Ladstatter, Ojeda, and Gulli to hold the line and win the header during set pieces. Ojeda and Gulli act as wide centre-backs to cover the space when the team moves up. Báez and López act as attacking wing backs to provide width and push high up the pitch. They must track back immediately to maintain the integrity of the back five and deny the turn to opponents.

In the midfield, Perruzzi plays as a single pivot to shield the defence and intercept passing lanes. He works to protect the centre backs and recycle possession when needed. Ahead of him, Romaña and Herrera operate as a midfield pair to win the second ball and connect the defence to the attack. They provide the engine to press in a mid-block and cover the central areas. Hernández plays as an attacking ten behind the striker to play through the lines and find the feet of the striker.

The attack relies on Gill as a lone striker to hold up the ball and act as a pressing centre-forward. Gill must work to pin the last defender and create space for others to run. Because the team uses a narrow midfield, the width comes from López and Báez as they push wide and try to get to the byline. They look to deliver early crosses or cut it back to the arriving runners. This movement allows the team to attack in combinations once they win the ball high up the pitch.

San Lorenzo offers great compactness when defending in a low block. The defensive unit is able to squeeze the space between the lines to deny the turn to creative players. Another strength is the ability to use the wing backs to stretch the defence and create wide overloads. This allows for quick transitions where the team can hit in behind on the transition effectively.

This 5-4-1 formation is designed for teams that want to remain defensively solid and strike on the counter. It is best suited for games against high possession teams where the goal is to sit deep and exploit space.