RCD Espanyol fell 1-2 to Real Madrid at the RCDE Stadium in a match decided by the visitors' set-piece supremacy. Los Blancos created eight shots from dead-ball situations, while Espanyol failed to register a single one, according to the match analysis published by Managing Madrid.
Carlo Ancelotti's team displayed a clear tactical edge from set plays. Madrid had 26 dead balls during the match: nine free kicks, nine goal kicks, and eight corners. They won the first contact on 12 of 16 deliveries and came out on top in three of four aerial duels. Seven of their eight set-piece shots came in the second phase of play, showing better organization. Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in the 9th minute following a sequence that started from a free kick.
How were the set-pieces distributed?
Real Madrid varied their deliveries to disrupt the Perico defense. Five of their set-piece crosses went into central areas of the box and two into the six-yard box. They also delivered one ball to the edge of the box, one wide of the box, one into the left half-space, and another into the right half-space. This variety made the defensive task harder for the hosts. The first half saw 16 dead balls, 11 for Madrid and 5 for Espanyol. After the break, the number rose to 23, with 15 for Madrid and 8 for the home side.
What did Espanyol do from set-pieces?
RCD Espanyol's statistics in this area were very poor. Throughout the entire match, they only had 13 dead balls: eleven goal kicks and two free kicks. Their only two deliveries from free kicks went into central areas, and they lost the first contact on both, failing to create any goal-scoring chance. All of Espanyol's dead balls occurred while the score was level, highlighting a missed opportunity to take the initiative before Madrid went ahead.
What is Espanyol's context this season?
This result comes with RCD Espanyol sitting in 11th place in La Liga, with 3 points from one win and two losses in their first three games. Their goal tally is 5 for and 4 against, giving them a +1 goal difference. In the standings, the Perico team is 6 points behind the leader, who happens to be Real Madrid. Espanyol's next fixture is an important home match against Sevilla, who are fifth, on September 6, 2026. Fans can track the team's progress on our standings page.
What does this match mean going forward?
The defeat to the champions reveals a clear area for improvement for the manager and his coaching staff. Real Madrid's absolute dominance in set-pieces, both in quantity and quality, was the deciding factor in the match. Madrid produced all eight of their set-piece shots while the score was level, showing how they used these situations to build their victory. For Espanyol, the focus must be on improving effectiveness in both attack and defense from static plays, an aspect that will be vital in the demanding match against Sevilla. The squad has a few days to work on these details before the next challenge at the RCDE Stadium, the full schedule for which can be found on our fixtures page.
