Xavi Hernández knows perfectly well that his team is not yet mature enough to protect itself according to what actions in the development of a match. One of the ones that worries her the most and occupies her in recent days are set pieces in defense, specifically both in corner kicks and lateral fouls. The coach has detected several imbalances in recent games that have left the team uncovered, as in the last game against Granada in the goal by Puertas after taking advantage of a rebound from a corner kick.
Hence, one of the slogans that Xavi has insisted on to the team in recent days is to avoid corners and side fouls as much as possible. “Right now it’s almost as if they were throwing us a penalty,” a member of Xavi’s staff acknowledged to AS.
Hence the technician is insisting and remarking on the need to avoid this type of action where it is needed, in addition to players with great aerial potential, a lot of concentration when it comes to adjusting the marks, something that did not happen in the game against Granada, where more than one footballer got confused, leaving two rival players alone in the area when defending a corner, which ended up costing the tying goal.
Real Madrid have in their ranks authentic specialists on set pieces and in strategy plays such as Militao, Benzema and Casemiro, as well as other players who are doing well in the head such as Jovic. Hence, Xavi wants to avoid this type of situation during the game, since he only has Piqué and Araújo as fundamental pillars to protect himself.
An action like that of Jordi Alba in the last game, clearing the ball to the corner instead of a throw-in, is a clear example of what to avoid at all costs.
In any case, Xavi plans to work conscientiously on this type of set piece action to avoid further bleeding, not only at the field level but also with videos. The coach will demand more concentration, solidarity and sacrifice to avoid repeating situations similar to those experienced in the last game against Granada, with gross failures at the collective level when defending corner kicks and side fouls.