Napoli Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Lattisi · Caucci · Gambardella · Garofalo (De Luca) · Colella · Cimmaruta (De Chiara) · De Chiara (Prisco) · Torre (D'Angelo) · Lo Scalzo · Gorica · Raggioli

Napoli focuses on a direct and vertical style of play through a 3-5-2 formation. This lineup aims to control the center of the pitch while using wing backs to stretch the opposition. By crowding the middle, the team looks to win the ball quickly and push forward to catch the opponent out of position.

Lattisi acts as the last line of defense in goal. Ahead of him, a back three consists of Garofalo, Caucci, and Gambardella. Garofalo and Caucci provide width to the defensive unit, while Gambardella stays central to hold the line. This defensive unit can sit deep or step up to compress the space between the lines. The defenders must work closely to cover any gaps left when the wing backs push forward.

The midfield works in a combination of roles to link the defense to the attack. Lo Scalzo plays as an attacking midfielder to drive the team forward and break the line with vertical passes. Cimmaruta and De Chiara occupy the central areas to control the tempo and shield the back three. On the flanks, Colella and Torre act as wing backs, providing the necessary width. They are tasked to track back when defending and push high to support the attack.

In the final third, Napoli utilizes two forwards to pressure the opposition defense. Raggioli and Gorica operate as a strike duo, with one often dropping slightly deeper to hold up the ball while the other runs into the channels. They press the opposing center backs to force mistakes. The wing backs, Colella and Torre, provide crosses into the box to create chances for the two strikers.

One major advantage of this formation is the ability to create numerical superiority in the center of the pitch. With Lo Scalzo, Cimmaruta, and De Chiara, the team can often overwhelm opponents in the middle. Another strength is the wide overload provided by the wing backs, which allows the team to switch play and isolate defenders. This setup also allows for a compact block when the team sits deep to defend.

This 3-5-2 formation is built for teams that want to dominate the central areas and use wide runners to create width. It is best suited for matches against opponents that play with a narrow midfield and struggle to track runners in the channels.