Real Sociedad

[Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi: Scouting Report] “Martín's a player all coaches would want. He's generous, he always thinks more about his teammates than ...

Martin Zubimendi is undoubtedly one of the top prospects in La Liga and his potential has clearly been monitored by top clubs in Europe. However, what really makes him special is his tactical understanding and confidence with the ball. But like one of his idols Sergio Busquets, he makes it look easy thanks to his ability to read the game. Once again, his high intelligence comes into play, as he is always thinking about the next step. His capacity to read the game and find space to execute passes is something that has improved drastically since his debut. He receives the ball on the half turn and plays an excellent through ball in behind the fullback. The central midfielders (Silva and Merino) attract their opponents, therefore creating space for the winger to run in behind the space. And again, once he is given the space to operate in central areas, Zubimendi is more or less likely to find his teammate with precision. Zubimendi’s role is to link the defense and the midfield and spray quick passes to keep the ball moving and maintain the tempo. Real Sociedad like to build up from the back, therefore attracting pressure from the opponents and this is where Zubimendi’s technical ability in the tight spaces comes into play. The central midfielders occupy the half spaces, while Zubimendi is at the base of the diamond, holding his position as the number 6. Zubimendi unquestionably considers Alonso as his role model, and it is seen in his game.