Roma Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Svilar · Mancini · Ndicka · Hermoso · Cristante · El Aynaoui · El Shaarawi · Soulè · Ferguson · Angelinho · Wesley

Roma relies on a heavy defensive foundation to launch quick transitions, using a 5-2-3 formation. This lineup focuses on staying compact and winning the ball to strike with speed. The team aims to sit deep when out of possession and then use the width of the pitch to catch opponents off guard.

Svilar acts as the last line of defence behind a back five. Mancini sits in the middle of the central trio to anchor the defence and uses his aerial strength to win headers. Hermoso and Ndicka operate as the wide centre backs to cover the spaces behind the wing backs. Wesley acts as a right wing back to provide width and track back when needed, while Angelinho operates on the left as an attacking wing back to push high up the pitch. The whole unit works to defend zonally and squeeze the space between the lines.

The midfield consists of a two man pairing in the centre. Cristante plays as a carrier to drive forward with the ball and connects the defence to the attack. El Aynaoui works alongside him to shield the defence and intercept passes. This duo tries to win the second ball to start quick attacks. They must stay close to each other to avoid being bypassed in the middle.

The attack uses a lone striker in Ferguson to hold up the ball. El Shaarawi uses his dribbling style to cut inside and create goal scoring chances, while Soulè acts as a wide winger to stretch the defence. This movement creates space for Wesley and Angelinho to overlap the wingers and deliver crosses. Ferguson works to pin the last defender to allow the wide players to run in behind. The team looks to break quickly once they win the ball in the middle third.

One strength for Roma is the ability to pack the central area, making it hard for opponents to play through the lines. The presence of Wesley and Angelinho allows for wide overloads when they push up the flanks. The team also has the ability to press in a mid block to force a long ball from the opposition.

This 5-2-3 formation provides a solid base for teams that want to defend deeply and hit on the break. It is best used against opponents who commit too many players forward and leave space behind their defence.