Borussia Dortmund Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Ramaj · Reggiani · Mane · Schlotterbeck (+) · Sabitzer · Chukwuemeka · Inacio · Fabio Silva · Beier · Lerma · Prates

Borussia Dortmund looks to dominate through a high press and rapid verticality using a 3-4-3. This formation is built to win the ball back high up the pitch and strike quickly before the opposition can settle. The team relies on aggressive pressing and quick ball movement to stretch the defence and create openings in the final third.

Ramaj stays between the posts to anchor the defensive unit. The back line operates as a back three where Schlotterbeck (C) leads the group as the left centre-back with his ability to carry the ball forward and organize the line. Reggiani acts as the right centre-back to provide cover, while Mane sits in the middle to secure the area. This unit defends zonally to keep the team compact and uses a high line to squeeze the space in the middle of the pitch.

The midfield functions as a central engine room with a two-man core. Sabitzer works to drive forward with the ball and connect the defensive and attacking lines, while Lerma provides the grit to shield the defence and win the second ball. On the flanks, Beier and Prates act as wide midfielders who provide width and track back to help the defenders. This midfield pairing is tasked to press aggressively to win the ball high and transition the play from the back three to the front three.

Borussia Dortmund uses three attackers to pin the last defender and create constant threat. Fabio Silva acts as the lone striker to hold up the ball and find the feet of his teammates. Inacio operates as an inverted winger on the left to cut inside and create numbers in the middle, while Chukwuemeka occupies the right wing to stretch the play and look for runs in behind. The front line is designed to press from the front and force a long ball from the opposition.

One major strength of this formation is the ability to press high in coordinated waves to force turnovers near the opponent goal. The wide midfielders, Beier and Prates, allow for wide overloads when they push up to support the wingers. This setup also offers great speed of transition, allowing the team to move from a defensive block into an attacking wave in seconds.

This 3-4-3 formation relies on intense pressing and quick vertical passing to overwhelm opponents. It is best suited for matches against teams that struggle to play out from the back or cannot handle high-intensity pressure.