Alavés Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Sivera · J.Otto · N.Tenaglia · J.Pacheco · V. Parada · Blanco · Carlos V. · Ibañez · Aleñá · A. Rebbach · Lucas Boyé

Alavés focuses on a high press and rapid transitions through a 4-5-1 formation. This lineup is built to squeeze the space in the middle of the pitch and win the ball back high up the pitch to strike quickly. The team looks to stay compact and rely on the work rate of the midfield to disrupt the rhythm of the opposition.

Sivera stays between the posts to organize the back line. The defensive unit operates as a flat back four that sits in a mid-block to deny space behind. N.Tenaglia acts as a ball playing defender to start attacks, while J.Pacheco provides cover to sweep behind the line. V. Parada and J.Otto act as wide defenders who must track back to defend the flanks but can also push up to provide width during transitions.

The midfield functions as a five man unit to congest the central areas. Blanco acts as the single pivot to shield the defence and recycle possession. Ibañez and Aleñá occupy the central roles, where Aleñá looks to connect the defensive and attacking lines by finding space between the lines. A. Rebbach and Carlos V. play as wide midfielders who must track back to help the full backs while also looking to carry the ball forward into the final third.

Up front, Lucas Boyé operates as a lone striker and a pressing centre-forward to harass the opposition back line. He works to hold up the ball and win the second ball to allow the midfield to move up the pitch. The attack relies on the wide players, A. Rebbach and Carlos V., to provide width and support the striker. The team builds play by finding the feet of the striker or using quick combinations to hit in behind on the transition.

This formation offers Alavés the ability to press high in coordinated waves, making it difficult for opponents to build from the back. The five man midfield creates compactness when defending, which makes it hard for teams to play through the middle. Additionally, the setup allows for speed of transition when the ball is won back in the middle third.

Alavés uses this 4-5-1 formation to maintain defensive solidity while looking to exploit gaps in transition. This lineup is best suited for games against possession heavy teams where winning the ball high can create immediate scoring chances.