Borussia Dortmund Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Serhou Guirassy · Karim Adeyemi · Maximilian Beier · Marcel Sabitzer · Daniel Svensson · Yan Couto · Felix Nmecha · Nico Schlotterbeck · Waldemar Anton · Ramy Bensebaini · Gregor Kobel

Borussia Dortmund look to dominate games through a heavy high press and rapid transitions using a 3-4-3 formation. This lineup is built to squeeze the pitch and win the ball back high up the pitch to catch opponents out of position. The intention is to play with high intensity, using verticality to hurt teams as soon as possession is regained.

Gregor Kobel acts as the last line of defense, often playing a sweeping role to cover the space behind a high defensive line. The back three consists of Waldemar Anton on the right, Nico Schlotterbeck in the middle, and Ramy Bensebaini on the left. Anton provides strength in duels, while Schlotterbeck looks to carry the ball forward into the middle third. Bensebaini focuses on covering the wide areas when the wing backs push up. This defensive unit works to stay compact and compress the space between the lines.

The midfield operates as a flat four to control the central zones and the flanks. Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha form a central pairing where Sabitzer uses his passing range to find teammates and Nmecha works to press aggressively. On the flanks, Yan Couto and Daniel Svensson act as wing backs to provide width. Yan Couto is tasked to overlap the winger, while Daniel Svensson tracks back to support the defense. This group connects the defense to the attack by recycling possession and breaking the lines with quick passes.

The attacking line uses three forwards to stretch the opposition. Serhou Guirassy leads the line as a physical presence who can hold up the ball and link play. Maximilian Beier and Karim Adeyemi act as inverted wingers who cut inside to attack the box. Both players use their speed to make runs in behind the defense. This front three presses the opposition back line constantly to force mistakes. The movement is designed to create cutbacks from the byline and isolate wide players in one on one situations.

Borussia Dortmund gain a significant advantage through their ability to press high in coordinated waves. The width provided by Yan Couto and Daniel Svensson creates wide overloads that pull the opposition defense apart. They also benefit from the speed of transition, as the players are ready to hit in behind on the transition immediately after winning the ball.

This 3-4-3 formation focuses on high pressing and rapid attacking movements. It is best suited for games against teams that play a high defensive line or struggle to build play out from the back.