Freekick is a word that should terrify Real Madrid fans, for it was the cause of their painful Champions League exit last season. That is one of the many memories from last year I would rather forget.
A free-kick is a tricky craft. It demands special talent, but if you master it, you instantly become one of the most valuable players in the team. Only a few ever achieve that mastery, and it remains one of the most aesthetically pleasing skills in football.
Ahead of the Real Oviedo game, Xabi Alonso was asked about his free-kick strategy and which players had impressed him in that department.
He answered, “We haven't been able to work too hard yet, but there are players who have a lot of quality: Arda, Trent, Franco Mastantuono.”
Xabi Alonso hints at Real Madrid's free-kick options
Real Madrid’s free-kick statistics in recent years are frankly dismal. According to Statmuse, Los Blancos have scored only six free-kicks over the past five La Liga seasons. That is a miserable number.
These figures nosedived after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and the decline and eventual exit of Gareth Bale, both of whom were specialists with far higher conversion rates.
Still, the list Xabi provided looks promising. Trent Alexander Arnold, in my view, is the most natural candidate to take the mantle. He was a regular free-kick taker at Liverpool and has scored several stunning goals from distance.
Arda Guler, meanwhile, is a set-piece specialist with a keen eye for finding teammates in the right spaces. While direct free-kicks may not be his strongest weapon, he remains a highly useful option.
Franco Mastantuono, the youngest of the three, already has an impressive record from set pieces.
All three are new to this role at Madrid, but together they may finally put an end to the club’s frustrating free-kick drought.