SL Benfica Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Trubin (S. Soares / D. Ferreira) · Dedic (Bah / L. Santos) · Antonio Silva (Tomàs Araújo) · Otamendi (G. Oliveira / J. Wynder) · Dahl (R. Obrador) · Richard Ríos (Manu / N. Fèlix) · Enzo Barrenechea (F. Aursnes / L. Barreiro) · Dodi Lukebakio (G. Prestianni) · Andreas Schjelderup (Bruma) · Franjo Ivanovic (H. Araújo) · Vangelis Pavlidis

SL Benfica plays with a high press and vertical intent using a 4-4-2. This lineup is built to win the ball back high up the pitch and move forward immediately. The team aims to stretch the defence by playing quickly and using the full width of the field.

Trubin guards the goal as the goalkeeper. A flat back four provides the defensive foundation. Otamendi and Antonio Silva form the central partnership, where Otamendi uses his aerial strength to win headers and Antonio Silva works to play out from the back. Dahl and Dedic play as the full backs, tasked to cover the wide areas and overlap the wide midfielders when needed to provide extra numbers in the final third.

In the center, a double pivot manages the midfield. Enzo Barrenechea and Richard Ríos occupy these roles to shield the defense and recycle possession. Ríos sits deep to protect the centre backs, while Barrenechea works to carry the ball forward and bridge the gap to the attack. Andreas Schjelderup and Dodi Lukebakio play as wide midfielders, with Schjelderup often looking to cut inside to create passing lanes, while Lukebakio uses his pace to stretch the opposition.

The front line relies on two forwards working in tandem. Vangelis Pavlidis acts as a pressing centre-forward to disrupt the opponent and find the feet of his partner. Franjo Ivanovic plays as the second striker, looking to make runs in behind or arrive late into the box to finish chances. They use combinations to break the line and often look to exploit the space behind the defenders through quick transitions.

A significant strength for Benfica is the ability to press high in coordinated waves to win the second ball. The formation also offers great speed of transition, especially when the wide players like Lukebakio exploit the space on the flanks. Finally, the central pairing of Otamendi and Antonio Silva ensures the team can remain compact while still playing an aggressive game.

This 4-4-2 formation is designed for a direct and high pressing style. It is ideally suited for facing teams that attempt to play short from the back against a heavy press.