SL Benfica Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Trubin (D.Ferreira / S.Soares) · Lenglet (Rui Silva) · T.Araújo · Dahl (José Neto) · Dedić (Bah) · Barrenechea (Manu) · Aursnes (Rios / Barreiro) · Sudakov (Rafa/ G.Moreira) · Lukebakio (Prestianni) · Schjelderup (Kaminski/Umeh) · Pavlidis (Durán/Ivanovic/Anísio)

Aggressive and direct, SL Benfica utilizes a 4-2-4 formation to drive the game forward. The team looks to win the ball back high up the pitch and use a high press to disrupt the opponent. This formation is built to play a very vertical style, focusing on quick transitions and getting the ball into the final third as fast as possible.

Trubin stays in goal to command the defensive line. The back four features Dahl on the left and Dedić on the right, acting as wide defenders who can push up. In the middle, Lenglet and T.Araújo form the central pairing. Lenglet is tasked to play out from the back, while T.Araújo uses his aerial strength to win the header and cover the space behind a high line. The whole unit works to squeeze the space and keep the opposition pinned back.

The midfield functions as a double pivot consisting of Barrenechea and Aursnes. Barrenechea focuses on shielding the defense and recycling possession in the middle third. Aursnes acts as the carrier who drives forward with the ball to connect the defensive and attacking lines. They must be ready to win the second ball and quickly switch play to the wide areas to bypass the midfield.

Up front, the team employs four attackers to stretch the defense. Schjelderup and Lukebakio operate as wide wingers, with Schjelderup looking to cut inside and Lukebakio pulling wide to get to the byline. Sudakov and Pavlidis lead the line as a central duo. Pavlidis works to hold up the ball and link up play between the lines, while Sudakov looks to arrive late into the box. They press from the front to force a long ball and win it back high up the pitch.

The primary advantage of this lineup for SL Benfica is the ability to create wide overloads and isolate wide players in one on one situations. By pushing the wingers high, the team can pin the last defender and create space in the middle. Another strength is the ability to press high in coordinated waves, which makes it difficult for the opponent to build from the back.

This 4-2-4 formation is designed for high-intensity attacking and heavy pressure. It is best suited for facing teams that sit deep or for matches where the team needs to chase a result through constant pressure.