Atlético Football Formation

Starting Lineup

13. Oblak
18. Pubill
24. Le Normand
17. Hancko
20. Simeone
22. Grimaldo
6. Koke
23. Hjulman
4. Mendoza
7. Kang-In Lee
11. Lookman

Atlético focus on a high press and rapid transitions within a 3-4-3 formation. This lineup is built to win it back high up the pitch and use the pace of the front three to hit in behind on the transition. The team looks to squeeze the space in the middle and force long balls that the back three can easily deal with.

Oblak guards the goal and organizes the defensive line. A back three consisting of Le Normand, Hancko, and Pubill provides a solid base. Le Normand acts as a ball playing defender to start attacks, while Hancko and Pubill provide cover and win headers in the air. This unit defends zonally to maintain compactness and can step up to set the offside trap when the team presses high.

The midfield operates with a central pairing of Hjulman and Koke (C). Koke (C) acts as the engine, dropping deep to receive from the defenders and recycling possession to maintain control. Hjulman connects the defensive and attacking lines by carrying the ball forward through the thirds. On the flanks, Grimaldo and Simeone act as wide midfielders who provide width. Grimaldo looks to overlap the winger to deliver crosses, while Simeone works to press in a mid-block to deny the turn of the opposition.

Atlético uses three attackers to stretch the defence. Lookman operates as a pressing centre-forward, using his movement to pin the last defender and find space in the channels. Mendoza plays as a wide winger who hugs the touchline to spread wide, while Kang-In Lee works as an inverted winger who cuts inside to create chances in the half spaces. These three combine in tight spaces to play through the lines and look for cutbacks from the byline.

The primary advantage for Atlético is the ability to press high in coordinated waves using the front three and wide midfielders. This creates numerical superiority in the attacking third when Grimaldo and Simeone push up. Additionally, the team shows great speed of transition, moving the ball quickly from the central midfield to the wide players to isolate opponents in one on one situations.

This 3-4-3 formation relies on intense pressing and quick verticality to break down opponents. Atlético is best suited for games against teams that struggle to play out from the back or leave space behind their defensive line.