Behind Real Madrid’s dramatic comeback in Rome, set-piece precision and meticulous preparation offered Mourinho’s side a crucial lifeline amid their ongoing struggles in open play.
Set pieces were crucial to Real Madrid’s comeback in Rome. José Mourinho’s coaching staff can take pride in a night when corner kicks proved to be the team’s greatest ally in avoiding a painful defeat. Behind closed doors at Valdebebas, the staff works on routines that produced goals such as those scored by Carlos Espí and Endrick.
Real Madrid’s victory in Rome cannot be understood without recognizing the importance of set pieces. José Mourinho’s coaching staff found answers there to a series of collective weaknesses that had almost cost the team a painful defeat in the UEFA Champions League. It was the result of extensive behind-the-scenes work at the Valdebebas training complex, which is now beginning to pay dividends.
José Mourinho’s new coaching staff includes genuine set-piece specialists. The first is Pedro Machado, who is responsible exclusively for attacking set-piece routines during training sessions. He is considered primarily responsible for the positioning and delivery of the balls that Arda Güler supplied the other day to prevent a collapse in Rome.
Virtually every member of Mourinho’s coaching staff plays an important role in these situations. Former Real Madrid player Sami Khedira, the Special One’s assistant coach, is responsible for defensive set pieces whether defending a corner or dealing with a free kick conceded by the team. Real Madrid has improved considerably in terms of the number of goals conceded from these situations compared with last season.
Mourinho has the final say on these tactical plans. The Portuguese coach oversees and approves set-piece routines ahead of every match. These are tailored to the opposition and the specific circumstances of each game. What happened against Roma was no coincidence; it was the result of the work carried out behind the scenes at Valdebebas, aimed at giving a team that is currently struggling for form more tools to compete.
Now we will see whether Real Madrid can maintain its improved set-piece performance against Sevilla. The team needs to make significant improvements to its collective play, but it cannot continue neglecting set pieces when they were instrumental in helping it begin its UEFA Champions League campaign with six points from six possible.
