Grêmio Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Lucas Leiva (30) · Herrera (9) · Messi (10) · Thiago Silva (3) · Felipe Melo (20) · Léo Moura (2) · Grafite (11) · Naldo (16) · Gamarra (4) · Victor (1) · Michel Bastos (6)

Grêmio focuses on a high press and direct attacking movements within a 3-4-3 formation. This lineup is built to win the ball back high up the pitch and use quick vertical transitions to punish the opposition. The team seeks to control the game by squeezing the space in the middle and using the wings to stretch the defence.

Victor sits between the posts to start the build up play. The defensive unit operates as a back three with Gamarra acting as the central anchor to win the header and clear the lines. Thiago Silva plays as the right centre back and uses his reading of the game to cover the space behind the line, while Naldo operates on the left as a wide centre back to support the flank. This unit defends zonally to maintain a compact block when the team sits deep.

The midfield utilizes a double pivot to control the center of the pitch. Felipe Melo and Lucas Leiva act as the central pair to shield the defence and win the second ball. Felipe Melo provides physical presence to intercept passes, while Lucas Leiva works to connect the defensive and attacking lines. On the flanks, Michel Bastos and Léo Moura act as wide midfielders who provide width and can overlap the winger to create extra passing lanes.

Grêmio employs three attackers across the front to pin the last defender. Herrera acts as the lone striker to hold up the ball and find the feet of his teammates. On the wings, Messi cuts inside from the right to create chances, while Grafite operates on the left to stretch the play. These forwards press from the front to force a long ball from the opposition, allowing the back three to regain possession easily.

One major advantage of this formation is the ability to press high in coordinated waves with the front three and midfield. The wide midfielders, Michel Bastos and Léo Moura, allow for wide overloads when they join the attack. This setup also provides compactness when defending, as the double pivot of Felipe Melo and Lucas Leiva sits close to the back three to deny the turn of the opponent.

This 3-4-3 formation is designed for a high intensity game where winning the ball back quickly is the priority. Grêmio will find success against teams that struggle to play out from the back under heavy pressure.