Roma Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Svilar (Gollini) · Mancini · Ndicka (Ziolkowsky) · Hermoso (Ghilardi) · Konè (Pisilli) · El Aynaoui (Cristante) · X · Soulè/Pellegrini (Dybala) · Angelinho (Salah Eddine) · Wesley (Celik/Rensch) · Malen (Vaz)

Roma relies on a heavy high press and quick transitions using a 5-2-3 formation. This lineup is built to squeeze the pitch and win the ball high up the pitch to catch opponents off guard. The goal is to use wide players to stretch the defence and create chaos in the final third.

Svilar sits between the posts to manage the defensive line. The back five consists of a central trio with Mancini leading the way as a dominant presence in the air. Hermoso acts as a ball playing defender on the right side while Ndicka covers the left. Wesley operates as an attacking wing back on the right to provide width, while Angelinho pushes high on the left to overlap the winger. The unit functions by maintaining a compact shape when the ball is on the opposite flank, ensuring the space between the lines remains tight.

A two man midfield serves as the engine room for Roma. Konè and El Aynaoui act as a double pivot to protect the back three and win the second ball. Konè uses his physical presence to shield the defence, while El Aynaoui helps to connect the defensive and attacking lines by carrying the ball forward. These two players must work hard to press in a mid-block when the front three are bypassed, ensuring the opposition cannot play through the middle easily.

The attacking front line utilizes three attackers to pin the opposition back line. Malen operates as a pressing centre-forward, looking to find the feet of the striker and make runs in behind. Soulè or Pellegrini occupies the right wing to cut inside and create goal scoring chances, while X occupies the left flank. This front three works in combinations to pull wide defenders out of position, often looking to deliver early crosses or cut it back from the byline to a late runner arriving into the box.

One main advantage for Roma is the ability to create wide overloads from the wing backs Wesley and Angelinho. Their movement allows the wide attackers to find more central areas to operate. Additionally, the formation provides great compactness when defending deep, making it hard for opponents to find passing lanes through the middle. The speed of transition when Konè or El Aynaoui win the ball allows the team to hit in behind on the transition very quickly.

This formation allows Roma to dominate territory through aggressive pressing and rapid wide play. It is best suited for games against teams that play a high line and can be punished in behind.