Barcelona Passing Drill by Hansi Flick

PLAYERS:

TIME:

20 min.

FOCUS:

Passing

AGE:

U13+

INTENSITY:

5/10

SETUP

Mark out two identical diamonds of cones, one in each half, set as mirror images either side of the halfway line, with the cones 10-15 meters apart.
Place a small goal just outside the feeder’s cone in each diamond.
In each diamond, position a feeder with a supply of balls at the cone nearest the goal, a player on each other of the cones.
Adjust distances between cones based on the age and skill level of the players.

WHY USE THIS DRILL?

The Barcelona Passing Drill by Hansi Flick trains quick passing combinations and clinical finishing in one continuous, high-rhythm exercise. Players work the ball around the diamond with first-time passes and constant movement off their cones, then switch the play with a sharp diagonal before finishing in the goal. It rewards players who stay alert, time their runs to a teammate’s action, and strike the ball first-time under tempo – exactly the habits a possession-based team relies on in the final third.

HOW IT WORKS

Both diamonds run at the same time. The feeder (2 and 6) starts the combination, playing a first-time one-two with the near side player and then working the ball around the diamond – quick, first-time passing, with the side players shifting off their cones to open passing angles. The far side player (4 and 8) then switches the play with a long diagonal to the central player near halfway: the bottom diamond’s combination finds player 5, and the top diamond’s finds player 9, so the two diagonals cross through the middle. The central player takes a sharp first touch and finishes clinically into the small goal, then the drill resets from the other side.

Coaching Options: Set a touch limit to dictate the speed of the drill – call “max 2 touches” to keep it controlled, or “max 1 touch” to push players into first-time combinations at full pace.

OTHER KEY POINTS

Demand first-time passing and movement off the cones – players should rarely receive standing still.
Encourage players to stay on their toes, maintaining a state of readiness to receive the ball.
The drill should be seen as inspiration. So feel free to adapt the drill to suit your team’s specific needs or focus areas.