Borussia Dortmund Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Borussia Dortmund plays with a focus on defensive stability and quick transitions using a 5-2-3 formation. This lineup aims to sit in a compact mid-block and then hit the opposition on the break. The formation is built to play a direct style of football where the team stays hard to beat while maintaining enough numbers forward to punish teams during a transition.

Tilkowski sits between the posts to command the area. The defensive unit works as a back five where Sammer acts as the central pillar to win headers and organize the line. Kohler and Hummels play as the wide centre backs to cover the spaces left by the wing backs, with Hummels using his passing range to start attacks. Dede and Reuter act as attacking wing backs to provide width, but they must track back to maintain the defensive block. This system relies on the defenders to defend zonally and keep the space between the lines tight.

The midfield consists of a two man unit with Moller and Zorc working in the centre. This duo must work hard to protect the back five and win the second ball. Zorc uses his passing range to connect the defence to the attack, while Moller works to press in the middle to stop the opponent from playing through the lines. They must be able to cover large amounts of ground to ensure the team does not get overrun in the centre.

In the final third, Borussia Dortmund utilizes three attackers. Burgsmüller acts as the central striker to hold up the ball and find the feet of his teammates. Reus and Emmerich play as wide wingers to stretch the defence, with Reus using his dribbling style to cut inside and create chances. The wingers stay wide to pull the opposition defenders out of position, creating gaps for Burgsmüller to exploit. This attacking unit is designed to break quickly once the ball is won in the middle.

The formation offers significant defensive compactness when the team drops into a low block. Having three central defenders allows the team to handle long balls and protect the box against a target striker. Additionally, the roles of Reuter and Dede allow for quick wide overloads when the team moves from a defensive stance into an attacking one, which forces the opponent to defend a larger area of the pitch.

This 5-2-3 formation relies on a solid defensive base and lethal counter attacks. It is best suited for matches against teams that dominate possession and leave space behind their high line.