Former Real Madrid midfielder Álvaro Benito explains how he trained the club’s academy team to play out from the back when up against an opponent that pressed from the front.

Benito, who earned a La Liga winners’ medal in 1996/97, saw his career cut short by a persistent knee injury. After moving into coaching, he spent the four years between 2015 and 2019 working in Real Madrid’s Academy.

Training some of the most talented young footballers in the world, Benito aimed to set his team up so that every player had a passing option despite intense pressure from the opposition. Here, he explains how he did it.