Rafael Benitez Passing Circuit with give and go, opening, and direct play

Passing circuit with numerous possible combinations, this drill is ideal for technical work during a warm-up. Drill recommended for your U18 players

Durée

15 min

Joueurs

12-18

Thème

Warm-up

Animation: Rafael Benitez Passing Circuit with give and go, opening, and direct play

Mark out a zone of about 25x30m then place 4 mannequins (or poles) on each side. Then place a cone about 1 meter from each mannequin and place 4 players per cone (see animation).

The circuit will proceed as follows:

The first 2 players located opposite (A and C) will start with a one-two pass with the player on their left (B and D).
After performing a one-two pass, they will control in the direction of play and make a long pass to the 2nd player opposite (A’ and C’).
The latter will then control with one touch behind the mannequin and continue the passing sequence in the same manner.
After their turn, the players move from one cone to another: A to B, B to C, C to D, and D to A.

This passing circuit was frequently used by Rafael Benitez during his training sessions in Naples.

Progression

You can offer your players a variation as a progression, with the same setup, but a different path:

The first 2 players located opposite (A and C) will start with a one-two pass with the player on their left (B and D).
After performing a one-two pass, they will control in the direction of play and make a long pass to the 2nd player opposite (A’ and C’).
This time, the players opposite will perform a one-two pass with the 2nd player (see animation) who will then layoff to them in stride (behind the mannequin).
After their turn, the players move from one cone to another: A to B, B to C, C to D, and D to A.