Vallejo shows free kick prowess

Although Manu Vallejo is a talented free kick taker, competition for set piece duty is fierce at Valencia CF. The striker had an opportunity to show his skills off dead ball situations in the game against AD Alcorcón, and did his case no harm at all with a goal that sealed the victory that took the team into the Copa del Rey Last 16.

The direct free kick was his first for Valencia CF, but work on the training ground means that he has never been out of practice.

At youth level, Vallejo was always amongst the free kick takers for his previous teams. Since arriving at Valencia CF, he has shown his teammates and coaching staff his ability by staying behind after training to strike shot after shot.

Coming up through the ranks at Cadiz CF, Vallejo made a name for himself with goals like the one he scored this past weekend. One of his first goals for Cadiz B came from a free kick. In the first team, set piece specialist Ager Aketxe was ahead of him in the pecking order, but Vallejo has proven willing to bide his time -just like now at Valencia CF.