SERGIO RAMOS LEADING THE LINE IN A STRONG SEASON FOR SET PIECES

In a difficult season for the club, one huge positive has been the team's performance in set-piece situations. In total, 20 of the 63 goals we have scored in the 2023/24 season have come from set pieces, twelve of those being from corners, three from free kicks, three from penalties and two from throw ins. These have accounted for more than a third of our tally this season, highlighting the importance of set pieces in the modern game.

One of the figures to have a big influence on these stats is Sergio Ramos, who has been considered somewhat of a deadball specialist throughout his career, especially when it comes to using head. Since his return to the club, he's scored no less than six goals in this fashion, converting two penalties, as well as finishing from two corners and two free kicks. His only goal to come from open play being his header against Real Sociedad in Nervión, which was crossed in by Óliver Torres, who had just received the ball from a corner kick.

Interestingly, Saturday's match winner at the Coliseum was Ramos's tenth goal for our first team. During his original spell at the club, he played 50 games and scored three times - one of which was from a set piece - and set the trend of him becoming one of the greatest goalscoring defenders in history. He shows no signs of slowing down, with seven goals in 29 appearances so far this season, making him our second highest goal scorer this season, behind only Youssef En-Nesyri (14). Among other players who have been prolific at set pieces this season is Lucas Ocampos, with three of his five goals this season coming directly from deadball situations.