Genoa Football Formation

Starting Lineup

De Pra · De Vecchi · Becattini · Torrente · Branco · Burlando · Rustolo · Barbieri · Eranio · Sardi · Levrati

Genoa aims to sit deep and defend in numbers with a 5-4-1. This formation is built to stay compact and wait for the right moment to hit in behind on the transition. The focus is on keeping the lines close together and forcing the opponent into wide areas.

Sardi guards the goal as the last line of defense. The back five consists of Burlando, Rustolo, and Levrati in a narrow central block. Burlando and Rustolo work to win the header and clear the lines when the ball enters the box. Levrati sits in the middle to cover the spaces between the others. Barbieri acts as a left wing back to provide width and track back when needed, while Eranio operates on the right to help cover the flank. This defensive unit stays narrow to deny the middle of the pitch.

A four-man midfield works in front of the defenders to squeeze the space. Branco and De Vecchi sit on the flanks to track the opposition wingers and help the wing backs. In the center, Torrente and Becattini form a double pivot to shield the defense and pick up runners. Torrente works to intercept passes and break the line, while Becattini focuses on winning the second ball and recycling possession. This group connects the deep defense to the isolated forward.

The attacking phase relies on a lone striker, De Pra, who must hold up the ball under pressure. Because Genoa plays with limited numbers upfront, the width comes from the runs of Barbieri and Eranio. They look to get to the byline and whip it in for De Pra to attack the far post. When the team wins the ball high up the pitch, the midfielders push forward to support the transition. De Pra must work to pin the last defender to create space for the incoming midfielders.

The main advantage of this lineup is the ability to remain compact when defending deep. Having five defenders makes it hard for opponents to find space in the box or win the header. Genoa also creates wide overloads when the wing backs push up to support the midfielders. This makes them very hard to break down in a low block.

The 5-4-1 identity focuses on defensive discipline and quick counter attacks. This formation is best suited for games against teams that dominate possession and play a high line.