OR
PLAYERS:
+8
TIME:
10-20 min.
FOCUS:
Warm-Up
AGE:
U8+
INTENSITY:
2/10
This FC Barcelona-inspired rondo is a great and fun way for players to start a training session. It warms players up while sharpening the skills that matter most in possession: quick, accurate passing under pressure, a sharp first touch, and the awareness to spot the next pass before the ball even arrives. For the two players in the middle, it doubles as lively pressing practice – closing the ball down and working together to win it back.
The outer players keep the ball moving around and across the circle, passing to teammates while the two defenders in the middle press and try to intercept. Encourage the outer players to open up passing angles on either side of a defender so there’s always an option available. In the example, the player on the ball plays up to a teammate, who switches it across the circle and then down the far side – keeping the ball away from the pressing pair. When the defenders win the ball or force it out, the player who lost it goes into the middle and becomes a defender, and the defender who won it takes the open spot on the circle. This keeps the drill flowing and everyone involved.
Coaching options: Set a touch limit – 1 or 2 touches maximum – to lift the tempo and force quicker decisions. Or give the defenders a small penalty (e.g. 10 push-ups) if the outer players string together 10-20 passes in a row, to keep the pressing honest.
