Football formations

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• FC Barcelona Formation and Tactics Under Hansi Flick — FC Barcelona line up in a 4-2-3-1 under Hansi Flick, with Pedri and Frenkie de Jong rotating as a double pivot in front of a halfway-line offside trap and a lop-sided attack that isolates Lamine Yamal on the right.
• Real Madrid Formation and 4-4-2 Tactics Explained — Real Madrid's most-used shape in 2025/26 was a narrow 4-4-2: Aurélien Tchouaméni dropping between the centre-backs, full-backs at deliberately different heights, and Kylian Mbappé beside Vinícius Júnior in a direct front two.
• Atlético Madrid Formation and Simeone's 4-4-2 — Atlético Madrid line up in a 4-4-2 under Diego Simeone, defending in two compact banks of four that collapse into a back five, then attacking through asymmetric flanks and crosses to Alexander Sørloth.
• Manchester City Formation: Guardiola's 4-2-3-1 — Manchester City play a 4-2-3-1 under Pep Guardiola, with Matheus Nunes inverting into midfield beside Rodri, Rayan Cherki in the right pocket and Erling Haaland pinning the centre-backs alone up front.
• Liverpool Formation and Tactics: Slot's 2025/26 4-2-3-1 — Liverpool played a 4-2-3-1 in Arne Slot's final season, a shape that became a 2-3-5 in possession with Ryan Gravenberch anchoring the double pivot and Florian Wirtz at the ten behind Hugo Ekitike.
• Arsenal Formation and Tactics Under Mikel Arteta — Arsenal's 4-3-3 under Mikel Arteta becomes a 3-2-5 in possession, with the left-back inverting beside Martín Zubimendi, both wingers pinned wide, and a rehearsed set-piece programme behind the league's meanest defence.
• Manchester United Formation and Carrick's Tactics — Manchester United finished 2025/26 third in a 4-2-3-1 under Michael Carrick, building in a 3-2-5 with Luke Shaw tucked into a back three and Casemiro screening behind Bruno Fernandes.
• Chelsea Formation: The 4-2-3-1 and Its Rotations — Chelsea play a 4-2-3-1 that becomes a 3-2-5 in possession, with Malo Gusto inverting beside Moisés Caicedo, Cole Palmer working the right half-space and João Pedro dropping off the front to link.
• Bayern Munich Formation and Tactics under Kompany — Vincent Kompany's Bayern Munich play a 4-2-3-1 built on heavy possession, a very high offside line and an asymmetric back four in which the left-back inverts while Konrad Laimer overlaps Michael Olise.
• Borussia Dortmund Formation: Kovač's 3-4-2-1 — Borussia Dortmund play Niko Kovač's 3-4-2-1: a deliberately narrow back three that builds down its left, wing-backs holding both touchlines alone, a staggered pivot and two roaming tens behind Serhou Guirassy.
• Paris Saint-Germain Formation and Tactics Under Luis Enrique — Paris Saint-Germain play a 4-3-3 under Luis Enrique that becomes a 3-2-5 in possession, with Achraf Hakimi pushed high on the right, Vitinha as the single pivot and Ousmane Dembélé dropping in as a false nine.
• Juventus Formation and Tactics Under Spalletti — Juventus play a 3-4-2-1 under Luciano Spalletti, defending as a five and attacking through Kenan Yıldız in the left half-space, while Weston McKennie steps inside from right wing-back and leaves Francisco Conceição isolated wide.
• Inter Milan Formation and 3-5-2 Tactics — Inter Milan play a 3-5-2 under Cristian Chivu: Çalhanoğlu drops into the back line to build, Dimarco and Dumfries provide all the width, and Lautaro Martínez rotates with Marcus Thuram up front.
• AC Milan Formation and 3-5-2 Tactics Explained — AC Milan's 2025/26 3-5-2 under Massimiliano Allegri is built on a narrow back three, Luka Modrić as the deepest playmaker and two high wing-backs, folding into a 5-4-1 block and countering through Leão and Pulisic.
• Ajax Formation and Tactics: Inside the 4-3-3 — Ajax play a 4-3-3 in the Cruyffian mould: a single pivot who drops into the back line, wingers pinned to the touchline and a target man leading the press. All three of their 2025/26 head coaches used it.
• Benfica Formation and 4-2-3-1 Tactical Structure — Benfica play a 4-2-3-1 under José Mourinho, screening the middle with Enzo Barrenechea and Richard Ríos while Heorhiy Sudakov links into Vangelis Pavlidis, the striker who scored 22 league goals.
• Portugal National Team Formation and Tactics — Portugal play a 4-2-3-1 with Vitinha and João Neves as a double pivot behind Bruno Fernandes, and deliberately unbalanced full-backs: Nuno Mendes pushes high on the left while João Cancelo steps inside.
• Spain Formation and Tactics Under Luis de la Fuente — Spain won the 2026 World Cup with a 4-3-3 built on Rodri as a single pivot, a high line held by Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte, and Lamine Yamal isolated one-against-one on the right touchline.
• France National Team Formation and 4-2-3-1 Tactics — France line up in a 4-2-3-1 in 2025/26 under Didier Deschamps, screening the centre with Manu Koné and Adrien Rabiot and attacking through a rotating front four in which Kylian Mbappé runs the last line.
• Argentina National Team Formation and Scaloni's 4-4-2 — Argentina play a 4-4-2 under Lionel Scaloni, defending in a compact mid-block with one screening midfielder behind three runners and Lionel Messi dropping into the right half-space beside Julián Álvarez.