Olympiacos Football Formation

Starting Lineup

El Kaabi · Rodi · Tzolakis · Podence · Hezze · Pirola · Retsos · Taremi · Chiquinho · Mouzakitis · Dani Garcia

Olympiacos focuses on a very direct style of football that relies on a 5-3-2 formation. This lineup is built to defend in a deep block and then strike quickly during transitions. The main goal is to keep a compact unit to prevent the opposition from playing through the lines.

Tzolakis plays in goal to protect the back line. The defence uses a back five where Dani Garcia sits in the middle of the trio. Pirola and Retsos act as wide centre-backs to cover the space when the wing backs push up. Rodi and Hezze function as attacking wing backs who provide the width. They work to win the second ball and ensure the unit remains narrow.

The midfield operates with a single pivot, where Mouzakitis sits to shield the defence. He works to intercept passes and recycle possession. Chiquinho and Podence play as the two central midfielders who connect the defence to the attack. Podence uses his dribbling style to carry the ball forward into the final third. Chiquinho must press in a mid-block to win the ball back high up the pitch.

In the attacking phase, the team uses two forwards in a partnership. Taremi plays to hold up the ball and find the feet of his teammates, while El Kaabi uses his movement to find space and attack the near post. They often work in combinations to stretch the defence. Rodi and Hezze will overlap the wide areas to whip it in toward the two strikers. This allows the forwards to attack the far post or receive the ball in tight spaces.

A major advantage for Olympiacos is the numerical superiority they can create in the wide areas. When Rodi and Hezze push up, they create wide overloads that force the opposition to shift. Another strength is the ability to press in a mid-block to trigger a press once the ball enters the middle third. This makes it hard for opponents to find space between the lines.

This 5-3-2 formation is best suited for a team that wants to sit deep and counter at pace. It is an effective way to handle opponents that dominate possession but struggle to break down a narrow defensive block.