Dortmund vs Roma: Strategic Implications of the Pre‑Season Friendly Line‑Ups

Introduction

As the European football calendar prepares to transition from the summer hiatus to the competitive grind, two of the continent’s most dynamic clubs—Borussia Dortmund and A.S. Roma—have scheduled a high‑profile pre‑season encounter. While the match itself is a single 90‑minute exhibition, the announced line‑ups reveal far more than a simple roster of names. They expose tactical evolutions, commercial ambitions, and regional ripple effects that will shape the upcoming Bundesliga and Serie A campaigns.

This analysis dissects the confirmed selections, contextualises them within each club’s recent history, and projects the broader consequences for player development, market positioning, and fan engagement across Germany, Italy, and the wider European football ecosystem.

Main Analysis

1. Tactical Blueprint of Dortmund’s Squad

Head coach Edin Terzić has opted for a 4‑2‑3‑1 formation, mirroring the system that propelled Dortmund to a second‑place Bundesliga finish in 2022‑23. The starting eleven includes:

• Goalkeeper: Gregor Kobel (31 appearances, 0.85 % save‑percentage improvement YoY)
• Defenders: Thomas Sattelberger (RB), Raphael Schäfer (CB), Mats Hummels (CB), and Lukasz Górecki (LB)
• Midfield Pivot: Julian Weigl (DM) and Mahmoud Salah (DM) – the latter a recent acquisition from Al‑Ahly, bringing a 12‑% increase in ball‑recovery rates in his debut season.
• Attacking Trio: Karim Adeyemi (RW), Giovanni Reyna (CAM), and Youssouf En-Nesyri (LW)
• Striker: Erling Haaland (ST) – the Norwegian forward who netted 36 goals in 38 Bundesliga matches last season, a 0.95 goals‑per‑game ratio.

Key observations:

1. Depth in Central Defense: The pairing of Hummels with the younger Schäfer signals a blend of experience and speed, addressing the 1.2 goals‑conceded‑per‑game average that cost Dortmund crucial points in the 2023‑24 season.
2. Dual Defensive Midfielders: By deploying two deep‑lying playmakers, Terzić aims to shield the backline while allowing the attacking midfielders to operate with greater freedom—a tactic that yielded a 15 % increase in possession retention during the 2022‑23 campaign.
3. Wing Flexibility: Adeyemi and En‑Nesyri, both under 23, provide pace and directness, reflecting Dortmund’s commitment to a high‑pressing, vertical style that generated 68 % of total shots from the final third last season.

2. Roma’s Strategic Line‑Up

Under the stewardship of José Luis Garcia, Roma has announced a 3‑5‑2 arrangement, a departure from the 4‑3‑3 system employed during the 2022‑23 Serie A title run. The starting eleven comprises:

• Goalkeeper: Rui Patricio (35 clean sheets in the last two seasons, 0.78 clean‑sheet ratio)
• Defensive Trio: Leonardo Spinazzola (RB), Chris Smalling (CB), and Gianluca Scamacca (LB) – a hybrid back‑three that can transition into a back‑four when in possession.
• Midfield Core: Bryan Cristante (CM), Lorenzo Pellegrini (CM), and Jordan Veretout (CM) – a midfield engine room that collectively contributed 12 % of Roma’s total passes in the previous season.
• Wing‑Backs: Federico Chiesa (RWB) and Leonardo Bonucci (LWB) – both possessing the stamina to cover 12 km per match, a metric that aligns with Roma’s high‑intensity pressing model.
• Forwards: Tammy Abraham (ST) and Paulo Dybala (ST) – the duo recorded 22 combined goals and 15 assists in the 2022‑23 Serie A season.

Key observations:

1. Three‑Center‑Back Flexibility: The inclusion of Smalling, a former Premier League stalwart, adds aerial dominance, crucial for set‑piece defense where Roma conceded 1.1 goals per set‑piece last season.
2. Dynamic Wing‑Backs: Chiesa’s transition from a winger to a wing‑back reflects a tactical shift toward width in the final third, a move that contributed to a 9 % increase in crossing accuracy for Roma in 2023‑24.
3. Dual Striker Model: Pairing Abraham’s physical presence with Dybala’s creative flair aims to diversify attacking options, a strategy that produced 1.8 goals per game when both featured together in the 2022‑23 campaign.

3. Comparative Tactical Trends

When juxtaposed, the two line‑ups illustrate divergent philosophies:

Statistically, Dortmund’s high‑press system generated an average of 18 high‑press actions per match in 2022‑23, while Roma’s possession‑centric approach saw a 62 % ball‑possession average. The friendly will serve as a laboratory for both coaches to test hybrid tactics—Dortmund may experiment with a back‑three, while Roma could