Napoli Football Formation

Starting Lineup

1. Milinkovic-Savic
31. Beukema
13. Rrahmani
4. Buongiorno
21. Politano
3. Gutierrez
68. Lobotka
8. McTominay
11. De Bruyne
27. Alisson
19. Hojlund

Napoli utilizes a 3-4-3 formation that is built to play a high press and vertical football. This lineup focuses on winning the ball in the opposition half and quickly moving it forward to exploit gaps. The team wants to control the rhythm through aggressive pressing and fast transitions to catch opponents out of position.

Milinkovic-Savic starts in goal to anchor the defensive unit. The back line consists of a back three with Buongiorno acting as the left central defender, Beukema in the center, and Rrahmani on the right. Buongiorno and Rrahmani act as covering defenders while Beukema stays central to block runs. The wide midfielders, Politano and Gutierrez, act as wing backs who push high to provide width. When defending, they drop back to form a five man line to protect the central zone.

The midfield relies on a double pivot to control the center of the pitch. Lobotka plays as the single pivot to shield the defense and break the line with his passing range. McTominay plays alongside him to drive forward into the box and provide energy in the middle. This pair links the defense to the attack by recycling possession or playing direct passes to the front three.

Napoli uses three attackers to stretch the opposition. Hojlund leads the line as a lone striker to hold up the ball and fight for long passes. Alisson plays on the left wing to cut inside and create chances, while De Bruyne operates on the right wing. De Bruyne uses his passing range and vision to find teammates in scoring positions. This front line presses high to force mistakes and makes runs behind the defensive line.

This formation offers several tactical advantages. The team can create wide overloads when Politano and Gutierrez overlap with the wingers. The double pivot provides compactness when defending the middle, making it hard for opponents to pass through. Additionally, the presence of De Bruyne and Alisson allows for quick transitions to isolate wide players in one on one situations during a counter attack.

The 3-4-3 formation provides Napoli with a strong presence in both boxes through aggressive pressing and wide play. It is best suited for matches against teams that play a high line and leave space behind their defenders.