Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is, arguably, the most successful Italian manager of his generation. He is also the most well-known contemporary tactician who employs the three-man backline. The highly versatile formation has brought him much success, but, as proven throughout the world, it's an extremely difficult strategy to execute properly.
Of the 20 Serie A teams, only a handful employ the three-man backline. The rest use four-man backlines, with variations in attack, as the preferred strategy. Here is a handy guide to each team and their manager's preferred formations.
