SL Benfica Football Formation

Starting Lineup

Samuel Soares (A. Trubin / D. Ferreira) · Daniel Banjaque (Alexander Bah) · Tomás Araújo (G. Índio / J. Fonseca) · Clement Lenglet (A. Circati / J. Wander) · Souffian Karouani (J. Neto / S. Dahl) · Enzo Barrenechia (J. Palhinha / Manu Silva) · Leandro Barreiro (D. Prioste / J. Veloso) · Claudio Echeverri (Gonçalo Moreira / Sudakov) · Gianluca Prestiani (J. Kamińsk / J. Umeh) · Jhon Durán (A. Cabral / A. Saidi) · Vangelis Pavlidis (R. Silva / O. Edokpolor)

SL Benfica relies on a heavy counter attacking identity using a 5-3-2 formation. This lineup is built to sit in a mid-block, absorb pressure, and then break quickly once the ball is won. The team looks to exploit the space left behind opposition defenders by using the pace of their forwards and the energy of their wide players.

Samuel Soares plays behind a back five that maintains a compact defensive unit. Enzo Barrenechia sits in the center of the defense to act as the primary stopper, while Clement Lenglet and Tomás Araújo operate as wide centre-backs to cover the channels. Daniel Banjaque and Souffian Karouani function as attacking wing backs, tasked with providing width and tracking back to help the defenders. This back five can shift to form a narrow defensive block to deny central penetration.

The midfield consists of a three-man midfield with a carrier and creative links. Leandro Barreiro acts as the anchor to shield the defense, while Claudio Echeverri and Gianluca Prestiani operate in the half-spaces to connect the defensive and attacking lines. Echeverri looks to carry the ball forward into transition, while Barreiro works to win the second ball and recycle possession. This trio must stay close together to compress the midfield and prevent opponents from playing through the lines.

In the final third, SL Benfica utilizes two forwards in a partnership. Jhon Durán and Vangelis Pavlidis work together to lead the line, often playing on the shoulder of the last defender to make runs in behind. Durán provides a physical presence to hold up the ball, while Pavlidis looks to find the feet of the striker or arrive late into the box. When the wing backs Daniel Banjaque and Souffian Karouani push high, they create wide overloads to help the forwards isolate defenders in one on one situations.

The primary strength of this formation is the ability to hit in behind on the transition. By maintaining a compact shape, the team makes it difficult for opponents to find space between the lines. Another advantage is the ability to use the wing backs to stretch the defense, which opens up passing lanes for the midfielders to exploit.

This 5-3-2 formation is designed for a team that wants to be defensively solid while remaining lethal on the break. It is best suited for facing teams that commit many players forward and leave large spaces behind their defense.