SL Benfica Football Formation

Starting Lineup

SL Benfica employs a 2-4-4 formation. This lineup is built for an aggressive, high press and vertical attacking football. To achieve this, the team tries to pin the opposition back and win the ball back quickly in their own half. Such a method is very risky because it leaves a lot of space behind the defenders, but it forces the opponent into mistakes.

Trubin stays between the posts to act as the last line of defense. The back line consists of only two central defenders, Araújo and Silva. They must play a high line and be ready to step up to intercept long balls. Since there are no full backs, Araújo and Silva must be fast to cover the wide areas when the opponent switches play. They need to be dominant in the air and strong in one on one duels to handle direct attacks.

In front of the defense, the midfield operates with a double pivot consisting of Dahl and Dedic. Dahl and Dedic work to shield the two central defenders and break the line through short passes. Ríos and Aursnes push higher up the pitch to act as attacking midfielders. Ríos looks to create chances from the left, while Aursnes drives forward to connect the midfield to the front four. This group must work hard to track back when possession is lost.

The attacking front line is heavy with four players. Schjelderup and Sudakov occupy the wide positions as wingers to provide width. To create space, Schjelderup often cuts inside, while Sudakov uses his passing range to find teammates. Ivanovic and Pavlidis occupy the center as two forwards. Pavlidis is a clinical finisher who looks to hold up the ball, and Ivanovic makes runs to break the line. This front four presses the opponent in waves to force turnovers.

Numerical superiority in the final third is a major benefit of this formation. With four attackers constantly pressing, the opposition can struggle to build from the back. Another advantage is the ability to overload the wide areas if Ríos or Aursnes push high, forcing the opponent to shift and leave gaps in the middle. The speed of transition is key for SL Benfica because they want to strike as soon as they intercept the ball.

This 2-4-4 formation is all about high pressure and overwhelming the opponent in their own half. It works best against teams that try to play out from the back and cannot handle a heavy press.