A tactical view of Serie A Femminile
By Dimitrios Rouvalis, Uefa A Football coach, Analysis Specialist
In this article, we will explore the tactical trends, specific in attacking and attacking transition phases, that have appeared during this season in Serie A Femminile. Serie A Femminile is one of the top 10 domestic leagues in Global Women’s Football, especially at the 6th place and in the 5th place between the European Women Leagues, after England WSL, Spain Liga F, Frauen Bundesliga and France Premiere Ligue.
- THE IMPORTANCE OF EXPLORING THE TACTICAL TRENDS
Knowing the tactical trends of a specific competition are crucial for professionals, like sporting and technical directors, head and assistant coaches, analysts and players that currently working in teams, participating or will participate in this league (teams that are going to be promoted for Serie B, for example), but for those too that they want to chase their dreams and apply for a job in Serie A Women, like the author. The knowledge of tactical trends helps in these areas?
- Recruitment (Sporting and technical directors): Are the coach having the stye of play that is more successful in the league? Are the players and their characteristics I want to sign for my club meets the demands of the league?
- Game model (Head and assistant coaches, analysts): As a professional football coach working in women’s football, I know that having a strict game model is crucial for a successful coaching career. But, as coaches we have to be adaptive. One of the external parameters that affects our game model are the competitions that our team participates. One of the first things that I do when I join a new club is to analyze and reach the tactical trends of the competitions my team is or is going to participate and make the adaptions.
- Players themselves: What the successful players of the league playing in the same position do? Do the style of play the league demand meets my characteristics as a player?
- SERIE A FEMMINILE GOALSCORING
Until 17 matchday, 249 goals have scored so far, with the table leader Juventus having the best attack with 45 goals. Starting the path to understand the way these goals have been scored and what tactics the teams have been using in their attacking phase, I represent you the Primary and Secondary Goal Area (P.G.A. & S.G.A), so as the Primary and Secondary Assist Areas (P.A.A. & S.A.A). With the term Primary Goal Area, we refer to the specific area, where the most goals from open play were scored, while Primary Assist Area refers to the Area the most successful assist have been made. The Goal Areas and Assist areas are crucial for the coaches, while they are designing the attacking phase of their teams. Especially the first thing that I do when I design the attacking phase of my team, is analyzing the competition my team is going to participate and creating the P.G.A, S.G.A., P.A.A. and S.A.A. After that I made the necessary adaptions to my game model, trying to create the favorable circumstances and put the appropriate players in these areas to create promising goal opportunities. Furthermore, analyzing as a technical staff the P.G.A., S.G.A, P.A.A. and S.A.A. of each opponent give us the specific corridors and lines we have to block in order to prevent the opponent of scoring. In Image 1, we could see the Primary and Secondary Goal Areas of Serie A Femminile 2024-2025.
Image 1
Primary and Secondary Goal Areas
2.1 Interested Statistics About the Goal areas
- 34 % of Juventus Goals scored from open play (11 from total 32) and 42 % of Lazio Goals scored from open play (8 from total 19), have scored from inside the small area (Primary Goal Area 2).
- The team with the most goals scored with shot from outside the area is Roma, specific 30 % of totals goals scored in all the league (7 from total 23).
In a row to Primary and Secondary Goal Areas, in Image 2, we could see the Primary and Secondary Assist Areas
Image 2
- Highlighting the importance of attacking transition
Attacking transition plays a crucial role in Serie A Femminile. 38 % of total goals scored from open play (66 from total 174), have been scored in attacking transition phase. Analyzing more the goals scored in transition phase, we emphasize the aspect of gain the possession in middle third, thought that 60 % of the transition goals starts with a “steal” in middle third. On the other hand, only 4 goals have been scores after applying high-pressing.
The champion in attacking transition is Sassuolo, with 13 goals from total 19 goals (scored in open play), has been scored in attacking transition, In second place Como has scored 11 goals of total 15 and Roma 11 from total 26 goals scored in open play. This numbers characterizes the priority that the coaches of these team gives in defending in (especially in their own half) and “hit in attacking transition”.
The role of set pieces in goalscoring
- 70 goals have been scored from set-pieces. (28 % of total goals)
- Corner-kicks have the lead, with 23 goals scored from corner-kicks, while 17 goals have been scored from free-kicks (11 Lateral Free-Kicks, 3 Direct Free-Kicks & 3 Central Free-Kicks).
- 18 goals from penalty-kicks, while 11 goals have been scored, after throw-ins, in attacking third.
- Juventus is the team with the most goals scored from set pieces (10 goals) and corner-kicks too (6 goals).
Image 3
Fiorentina Women’s players celebrate N.23 Lucia Pastrenge’s dramatic stoppage-time winning goal from a lateral free-kick against Inter Milan Women (Matchday 8)
- Juventus corner-kick analysis
In this section of the article, we will analyze the corner-kicks of the most productive team in Serie A Femminile, Juventus Women. For the analysis needs’ we will create a common terminology, as it seem in Image 4
Image 4
- Juventus Corner-Kick Statistics
| Type of kick | |
| Inswing | 40% |
| Outswing | 27 % |
| Short pass | 33% |
Images 5 & 6 shows the target zone that inswing and outswing kicks spot to
Image 5
Image 6
- Juventus Corner-Kickers
N.21 – CARUSO ARIANNA (Right footed): Average Assist per match – 1,8 -Rank Role 6 in Serie A Femminile
N.15 – BENNISON HANA (Right footed): Average Assist per match – 1,4 – Rank Role 10 in Serie A Femminile
N.13 – BOATTIN LISA (Left footed): Average Assist per match – 1,6 – Rank Role 3 in Serie A Femminile
N.6 – SCHATZER EVA (Left footed): Average Assist per match – 1,2 – Rank Role 15 in Serie A Femminile
* Assist: The final pass before a goal attempt (successful or unsuccessful)
- Corner-Kick Analysis
Although we could not provide a full analysis, as a video is required for this, in this section we will try to provide the general elements that characterize Juventus’ corner-kicks.
| Usually players’ positioning | |
| Short pass area | 1 player |
| Inside the area | 6 players |
| Rebound zone | 1 player |
| Defense zone | 1 player |
Direct kicks routines
Inswing kicks: Overloading small area – especially first post
Image 7
1-0 against Milan away – Scorer N.10 – GIRELLI Cristiana
Against to woman-to woman type of defense: Attracting defenders to the first post, creating space to the second, while the kick spot a player who with a curve run or direct run from rebound zone, take advantage of the space created in second post. ( 1-0 against Sassuolo home (Scorer: N.10 – GIRELLI Cristiana), scored in that way)
Image 8 & 9
1-0 against Sasuolo away – Scorer N.10 – GIRELLI Cristiana
Short pass routine
Create a numerical superiority, (usually 3 vs 2) with the kicker and players located in short pass area and rebound zone, in order to find the free player who shots (2-0 against Sampdoria home (Scorer: N.6 – SCHATZER Eva), scored in that way), or make a cross (Big chances against Napoli home at first half (16 minute) and second half (58 minute) is being created in that way).
Images 10 & 11 – Short pass routine
2-0 against Sampdoria – Scorer N.6 SCHATZER Eva
3.1 The art of build up in Serie A Femminile
One of the first things I analyze as a head coach of a football team or I ask for my staff to analyze is the way the opponent team build-up the game. The way a team behaves in the build up phase shows a lot of things about their style of play. In this section, we will analyze the way the first four teams, Juventus, Inter, Roma & Fiorentina behaves when they build up, during Serie A Femminile 2024-2025.
3.1.1. Juventus Build Up
One pattern that Juventus Women use at the build up phase is:
– Inviting the pressure with short passes between the GK, defensive line and two defensive midfielders.
– Create space in the back of the opponent midfield line.
– The central forward-especially N. 10 – Cristiana Girelli takes advantage of the free space, looking for a back pass or a header to the opponent defence, where equal number situations under positional and maybe qualitative superiorities are created, while the wingers make vertical runs.
STRONG POINT: The physical abilities and the ability of the target players to win duels KEY PLAYERS: CRISTIANA GIRELLI (N.10), who have played 1148 minutes so far this season, wins average 8,6 duels per 90 minutes, 0,3 more than the average in Serie A Femminile 2024-2025.
Image 12 & 13
Juventus build up
3.1.2. Inter Milan Build Up
Inter Women uses two patterns when they are building-up from goal-kick during this season.
The common movements of the two patterns are:
– Frist pass from defender to Goalkeeper
–Inviting the pressure into their penalty area too
– Trying to create equal numbers positional superiorities at the rivals half and stretch the play vertically in order to create space at the midfield third.
First pattern
Inter with short passes is trying firstly to find the free area and free player (mostly N. 3 – Bartoli Elisa), who is being positioned at the right-side corridor, and then pass to their rival’s half.
Second pattern
Aiming directly with long passes, mainly through the Goalkeeper, while n. 36 CAMBIAGHI Michela drops off and tries to get advantage of the free space.
WEAK POINT: The most common cause of ball loss in their own half occurs when long goal-kicks target the central area, leading to turnovers.
Images 14 & 15
Inter Milan build up pattern 1
3.1.3 Roma Build Up
Roma women’s the most time is using one pattern in their build up from GK. Especially:
– The first pass is being played from GK to left central defender, while the second is being played to the target player, the left back.
– After receiving the ball, the goal of Roma is to play between the opponent’s defensive and midfield line.
TARGET AREA: Left side corridor
KEY PLAYER: VERENA HANSHAW (N.19) Roma is trying to get advantage of Verena’s ability to play between the lines. With average 58.5 accurate passes (rank 1 in all Serie A), rank 1 in all Serie A at final passes (pass before shot or header) too and 2,6 killer passes (0,5 more than the average in role in Serie A) Verena HANSHAW is the key player at Roma’s build up.
WEAK POINTS: 1) Roma is losing almost all the aerial duels after direct balls in the midfield line at the build up phase, 2) When the left winger received the ball from the left back under pressure, Roma women’s is losing the most balls.
Image 16
Roma build up
3.1.4 Fiorentina build up
Fiorentina women is using two patterns in their build up from GK. Especially:
First Pattern
– The first pass is being played from left central defender to GK, in order to invite pressure, while the second pass is being played again to the left central defender.
– After receiving the ball, Fiorentina is spotting mostly the central corridors, with N. 4 BONFANTINI Agnese and N. 87 BOQUETE Veronica, who are dropping in being mostly the target players.
KEY PLAYERS- KEY POSITIONS
Left central defender: TORTELLI ALICE (N.5), With average killer passes per match 2.4 (0.3 more than average in role in Serie A) and the least lost possession in defensive half, Alice is one of the key players, Fiorentina chooses to forward the ball from defensive third
Target players: BONFANTINI AGNESE (N.4), Average duels won per match: 9 BOQUETE VERONICA (N.87), Average duels won per match: 7,5
Second pattern
After the ball is being played to GK, the GK is spotting with a long pass the central corridor.
WEAK POINT: The many “first” lost balls. Fiorentina lost many balls in the central corridor, especially from long passes, with one of them (Against Como) lead to a conceded goal.
Images 17 & 18
Fiorentina Build up
3.1.5. Build up Conclusion
What if each team uses their own patterns trying to exploit their strengths, three of them have as common trend that they try to invite the opponent’s pressure, before playing to the next line or lines.
- Conclusion
All statistics and video insights presented in this article are sourced from SICSTV, ensuring a comprehensive and data-driven perspective. As Serie A Femminile continues to evolve, understanding these tactical trends is essential for coaches, analysts, and players striving for success in one of Europe’s top women’s leagues.
