Napoli Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Spinelli · Caucci · Eletto · Garofalo · Colella · Cimmaruta · De Chiara · Smeraldi · Nardozi · Lo Scalzo · Raggioli

Napoli focuses on aggressive pressing and quick transitions using a 3-4-3 formation. This lineup aims to control the pitch by pushing players high up the field to win the ball back immediately. The team relies on heavy verticality to move from defense to attack with very few passes.

Spinelli stays between the posts to organize the defensive unit. The back three consists of Eletto, Garofalo, and Caucci. Garofalo and Caucci act as the wide central defenders to cover the space left by the wing backs. Eletto sits in the middle to command the line and intercept passes. This back three tends to step up to keep the defensive line high, making the team compact when they sit deep.

The midfield works as a flat four to provide width and central coverage. Cimmaruta and De Chiara occupy the central roles to hold the middle and protect the center backs. Cimmaruta works to break the line with forward passes, while De Chiara stays closer to the defense to tackle and cover. Colella and Smeraldi act as the wide midfielders, tasked with tracking back to support the defense and pushing forward to overlap during attacks.

In the final third, Napoli utilizes three attackers to stretch the opposition. Raggioli operates as the lone striker to hold up the ball and contest long balls. Lo Scalzo and Nardozi play as wide forwards, often cutting inside to create space for the midfield to run into. These wide players press the opposition full backs to force turnovers in the final third.

Napoli finds success through wide overloads created by Colella and Smeraldi pushing high. The coordination between the midfield four and the attacking three allows for quick waves of pressure. The central presence of Cimmaruta and De Chiara ensures that the team stays compact when the opposition tries to counter.

This 3-4-3 formation provides a high level of intensity through constant pressing. It is a lineup best suited for games against teams that struggle to play out from the back under heavy pressure.