Rubi Tactics At Almería 2025/2026: How To Turn Corner Kicks Into Promotion Margins – Set-Piece Analysis

Dead-ball situations frequently prove decisive in the battle for promotion from Spains second tier. 

In a division where matches are regularly decided by narrow margins, a reliable corner-kick routine can crucially yield between eight and 12 goals over the course of a season.

This is a return that often separates teams challenging for a playoff place from those anchored in mid-table obscurity. 

This season, under Rubis tactics, Almería’s corner routines show a deliberate balance between chaos and control. 

Their manager is an experienced head in Spanish football, having previously been in the managerial hot seat at clubs like Espanyol, Real Betis, Real Valladolid, and Levante.

Rubi was also the number two at Barcelona under Gerardo Martino in the 2013/2014 campaign when the Blaugrana finished second in La Liga.

Now, hes tasked with getting Almería back to Spains top flight, and one of his main methods in trying to achieve that this season is by establishing set-piece superiority.

Rather than relying on a single dominant aerial target, they manipulate defensive reference points, create second-ball scenarios, and attack zones with coordinated timing.

This tactical analysis in the form of a set-piece analysis breaks down the main corner-kick structures Almería are using, explaining the mechanisms behind each routine and why they consistently generate shots, rebounds, and sustained pressure.

Near-Post Overload & Flick-On

Almería employs a corner-kick tactic which sees them overload the near post with two attackers positioned at the edge of the six-yard box to create a numerical advantage and create a quick goalscoring opportunity.

As the taker begins his run-up, one attacker darts aggressively toward the near post, while the second curves his run slightly deeper.

In this sequence, Nélson Monte initiates the movement by attacking the near-post zone, dragging his marker with him and collapsing the first line of coverage. 

This action opens a pocket of space behind the initial defensive line, which Álex Muñoz times perfectly, arriving to exploit the vacated area and attack the ball under minimal pressure.