Borussia Dortmund Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Borussia Dortmund aims to win the ball back high up the pitch and transition with speed using a 3-4-3 formation. This lineup is built to play a high press and use verticality to catch opponents off guard. By pushing the defensive line up, the team looks to squeeze the space in the middle of the pitch and force errors in the opposition half.

Kobel starts in goal to organize the back line from deep. The defensive unit works as a back three where Schlotterbeck acts as the left centre back to cover the space behind the wingers. Anton sits in the middle to command the area and win the header when crosses come in, while Gadu plays as the right centre back to provide balance. This defensive unit must stay compact to prevent through balls, with Schlotterbeck and Gadu ready to step up and intercept passes.

The midfield functions as a three-man midfield with a carrier to progress the ball. Bellingham works as a central midfielder who drives forward with the ball and connects the defensive and attacking lines. He uses his driving runs to break the line and create chaos. Nmecha plays alongside him to shield the defence and win the second ball in the middle of the pitch. On the flanks, Ryerson and Svensson act as wide midfielders who provide the necessary width to stretch the defence. Ryerson works to overlap the winger while Svensson tracks back to help the back three when defending deep.

Borussia Dortmund employs three attackers across the front to pin the last defender. Guirassy acts as a pressing centre-forward who holds up the ball and finds the feet of his teammates. On the wings, Bayer plays as an inverted winger who cuts inside to create central presence, while Karecas stays wide to pull the opposition full back away from the middle. This front line works in combinations to create runs in behind or allow for cutbacks from the byline when the wingers get to the edge of the area.

One tactical advantage of this formation is the ability to press high in coordinated waves. The front three and the midfield pair can trigger a press to win the ball back high up the pitch. Another strength is the wide overloads created when Ryerson and Svensson push forward to join the attackers. This creates a numerical superiority in the wide areas, making it difficult for the opponent to defend the flanks.

This 3-4-3 formation relies on intense pressing and rapid transitions to unsettle the opposition. It is best suited for games against teams that play a high defensive line or struggle to play out from the back.