In the fast-paced world of football, tactical innovations and adaptations are key to a team’s success, especially when facing opponents with a distinctive playing style. The latest buzz in Italian football revolves around the tactics of AC Milan‘s head coach, Paulo Fonseca, who has been exploring ways to counter Atalanta’s high-intensity, attack-minded approach. The challenge of facing Atalanta’s unique style is significant for any team, and Fonseca, an experienced tactician, is working hard to devise a formation that will nullify the threat posed by Gian Piero Gasperini’s side. This article explores the “anti-Atalanta” formation Fonseca is developing, its nuances, and its potential impact on AC Milan’s fortunes in Serie A and European competitions.
The Rise of Atalanta’s Tactical Identity
To understand why Fonseca is putting so much focus on the “anti-Atalanta” formation, we must first take a closer look at Atalanta’s tactical identity under Gian Piero Gasperini. Since taking charge of Atalanta in 2016, Gasperini has revolutionized the club, leading them to become one of the most formidable attacking forces in Italian football. The team is known for its relentless, high-pressing style, characterized by a fluid 3-4-1-2 formation that quickly transitions into attack, overwhelming opponents with pace and numbers.
Atalanta’s playstyle is built on high energy, pressing high up the pitch to win the ball back quickly, and launching fast, wide, and direct attacks. Their central midfielders are given the license to bomb forward, and their wing-backs provide width while also supporting the attack. At the same time, their three central defenders must be adaptable, shifting across the field to cover the space vacated by the advancing midfielders and wing-backs. The result is an exciting, fluid game that causes nightmares for teams unable to handle the pressure of Atalanta’s pressing and quick counter-attacks.
While Atalanta has made significant strides in European football, becoming a regular feature in the UEFA Champions League, their tactics are not without their weaknesses. Teams that can manage to disrupt their high press and defensive system can exploit the spaces left behind. This is where Fonseca’s tactical mind comes into play.
Fonseca’s Tactical Philosophy
Paulo Fonseca has made a name for himself as a coach with a clear tactical identity. His tenure at Roma, where he was in charge from 2019 to 2021, was marked by a possession-based, attacking style that incorporated high pressing and fluid transitions. Fonseca’s teams are typically organized in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3, with an emphasis on maintaining possession, controlling the tempo, and building from the back. His teams are disciplined defensively, but their main focus is on creating attacking opportunities, particularly through quick combination play and utilizing full-backs in wide areas.
When Fonseca took over AC Milan, the club was transitioning from a defensively solid setup under Stefano Pioli into a more dynamic, high-pressing team that aimed to combine offensive fluidity with defensive stability. This made Fonseca’s approach an interesting fit, as Milan had long been a club in need of a balance between attack and defense.
However, Fonseca now faces the challenge of finding ways to break down opponents like Atalanta, who employ a tactical system that is so different from Milan’s. Gasperini’s high pressing and attacking mentality require a different approach than what Fonseca may have used against more traditional, defensively-minded teams. It is within this context that Fonseca has been working on creating an “
” formation, a system designed to thwart Atalanta’s strengths while exploiting their weaknesses.
The “Anti-Atalanta” Formation: Key Principles
Fonseca’s approach to creating an “anti-Atalanta” formation is centered on three key principles: defensive solidity, control in midfield, and exploiting the spaces left open by Atalanta’s attacking style.
1. Defensive Solidity
One of the most important aspects of the “anti-Atalanta” formation is ensuring that Milan is solid defensively. Atalanta’s attacking play relies on constant movement, overloads in wide areas, and numbers in the box. The challenge for Milan’s defense is not just about containing Atalanta’s forwards but also dealing with the waves of attacks that come from the wing-backs and midfield runners.
Fonseca is considering a formation that incorporates a more robust defensive setup, possibly shifting to a back five, with three center-backs and two wing-backs. The five-man defense would provide extra cover against Atalanta’s wide players, who are key to their attacking play. Additionally, the wing-backs can be asked to track Atalanta’s marauding full-backs, while the central defenders must stay compact to deny the space between the lines.
The idea is to make Milan more difficult to break down by having an extra layer of defense that can handle Atalanta’s intricate offensive movements. Milan’s defenders will need to stay disciplined, aware of Atalanta’s off-the-ball runs, and prepared to shift quickly in transition.
2. Midfield Control and Press Resistance
Atalanta’s high press can be a nightmare for teams that struggle to build from the back. The key to breaking down their press is having calm and composed players who can withstand pressure and make quick, incisive passes. In this regard, Fonseca is likely to rely on his midfielders to be press-resistant and provide stability in possession.
A key tactical decision will involve whether to deploy a double pivot or a more traditional single holding midfielder. The idea is to give Milan’s midfield the stability to deal with Atalanta’s aggressive pressing. This will allow Milan to keep possession and control the tempo of the game, rather than being hurried into mistakes by Atalanta’s high-energy approach.
Atalanta’s midfield is known for its dynamism and ability to support both defensive and offensive phases, so Milan must counteract this with midfielders who are capable of tracking runs and breaking up the opposition’s play while also providing an outlet for quick counters.
3. Exploiting the Space Behind Atalanta’s Press
One of the most significant weaknesses in Atalanta’s system is the space they leave behind when committing so many players forward. Their high press can leave gaps, especially on the wings and in central areas when the ball is turned over.
Fonseca will likely look to exploit this by having his team play quick passes out from the back and looking for vertical balls into the space behind Atalanta’s defense. Milan’s wingers and forwards will need to be alert to these openings, making runs into the channels and attacking the space left by Atalanta’s advanced full-backs.
Additionally, Fonseca may instruct his attackers to be more direct, using quick transitions to catch Atalanta off balance. The idea will be to exploit the spaces left open during Atalanta’s aggressive attacking phase, making sure to capitalize on counter-attacks with swift, incisive movement.
Potential Lineups and Personnel
To implement this “anti-Atalanta” formation, Fonseca will need to select the right players who can execute his tactical plan effectively. AC Milan boasts a squad full of talented individuals who can thrive in a defensive setup while still having the ability to exploit counter-attacks.
1. Defensive Setup
At the back, Fonseca may opt for a three-center-back formation, with players like Fikayo Tomori, Malick Thiaw, and Simon Kjaer providing the necessary strength and tactical intelligence to handle Atalanta’s attacking threats. These players need to be adaptable, able to shift across the field to track runners, and capable of reading the game well to prevent Atalanta from breaking through.
The wing-backs, potentially players like Theo Hernández and Davide Calabria, will have to balance their defensive duties with offensive runs. Their ability to track Atalanta’s wide players while also contributing to Milan’s offensive transitions will be crucial.
2. Midfield Balance
In midfield, a double pivot of players like Sandro Tonali and Rade Krunić could offer the right balance of defensive stability and passing ability. Tonali’s vision and composure under pressure make him an ideal candidate to break through Atalanta’s press, while Krunić’s work rate and tactical discipline would be important in tracking Atalanta’s midfield runners.
The attacking midfielder or No. 10 position could be filled by a player like Charles De Ketelaere, who is capable of linking play and exploiting space between the lines. His intelligence and creativity will be essential in breaking down Atalanta’s defensive structure.
3. Attacking Threat
Up front, Milan’s attack needs to be dynamic and capable of exploiting the spaces Atalanta leaves open. Players like Rafael Leão and Olivier Giroud could form a potent partnership. Leão’s pace and dribbling ability are ideal for running into the channels and exploiting the spaces left by Atalanta’s high press, while Giroud’s experience and physicality provide a focal point for Milan’s attacks.
