Xabi Alonso continues to build his new project with Real Madrid with steady steps, as the team has developed a clear identity based on high pressing, organized ball progression, and collective effort. However, there remains a small detail that worries the Spanish coach in a system that seems close to perfection: set pieces.

Despite the noticeable improvement in the team's performance, Real Madrid has only managed to score one goal from a set piece in 12 matches this season, which was scored by Arda Güler against Mallorca after a series of short passes inside the area. Despite having a group of distinguished executors such as Trent, Arda, Alaba, Rodrigo, and Franck, along with aerial specialists like Tchouaméni, Militao, Haussen, and Bellingham, the numbers do not reflect this superiority.

The coaching staff recognized this gap early on and began working to fix it. Last summer, the club hired Jesús Rueda, a set-piece analyst who gained prominence with Leganés after his plans contributed to 21% of the team's goals last season. Rueda will work alongside Tristan Celador and Oscar Michel to develop new offensive and defensive strategies and analyze the effectiveness of each execution.

In the Champions League match against Juventus, the first sign of change appeared: diversifying execution between short corners and lofted balls, targeting unexpected areas within the box, which created more than one clear opportunity despite the absence of goals.

Interestingly, this regression in Madrid contrasts with Alonso's successful experience at Bayer Leverkusen, where set pieces were one of the hallmarks of his team that won the Bundesliga. In two full seasons, the team scored 34 goals from set pieces (including 5 from direct free kicks), with Grimaldo being the standout executor.

Alonso understands that details make the difference at the top, and therefore he seeks to transform set pieces from a weakness into a decisive weapon in big matches, especially against teams that rely on compact defense and close spaces against open play.