Real Madrid invent strange new corner routine with Luka Modric and David Alaba | OneFootball

Highlights

Real Madrid opened their Champions League campaign with a nervy 1-0 victory at home against Bundesliga outfit Union Berlin, who are playing in Europe’s most coveted competition for the first time in their history.

Jude Bellingham’s last-gasp goal was enough for Carlo Ancelotti’s side to run out victors as they look to regain football’s biggest prize after Manchester City won it last time out. The visitors, for the best part of the affair, struggled to break down a well-rehearsed Madrid side, amassing just four shots, whereas the winning side racked up a whopping 32.

Only one managed to find the back of the net, and it was the industrious England midfielder that came up with the goods once again. With moments left to play, a quickly taken corner routine was laid off to Federico Valverde by Toni Kroos. The former released an audacious attempt towards goal just for it to be blocked by a Union Berlin defender.

With a sea of white shirts ready to pounce, however, the ball bundled into the path of Bellingham, who swivelled and tucked away to open and close the scoring in the 94th minute. What a way to mark your Champions League bow with your new employers. And while their corner routine on that occasion paid off, footage of an earlier attempt to bamboozle their opposition with their strange new regime has got fans talking.

Real Madrid’s strange corner routine

With the score level at 0-0, the Spanish side decided to switch it up by having two stars standing over the ball - and your best guess is as good as ours.

A fan posted the situation on Twitter, accompanied by the caption: “Someone gotta explain what the idea is behind the corner from [Luka] Modric and [David] Alaba. They’re not fooling anyone with this.”

The Croatia international appeared to be lining the ball up to whip it in, whereas defender Alaba is standing behind the byline for what looks like no apparent reason. Of course, two Union Berlin players were cautiously on hand to prevent a short corner being taken but Alaba was never used – instead, he looked more like a bystander.

Modric put in a teasing ball, but it was eventually cleared away from immediate danger as the two began to return to their typical set-up. Some keen fans have been trying get to the bottom of Ancelotti's plans, however.

One replied to the tweet and said: "One more player guarding them on the corner = one less player in the box." Granted, Alaba is not the most imposing player in the Madrid squad – and maybe he was used a decoy to pull an extra opponent away from the box – and that reasoning stands firm as to why Ancelotti changed it up.

Another viewer believes the Austrian was placed how he was should the pair have opted for Modric to lay it off: "Modric can tap the ball without Alaba having to take the ball and turn around, can take the ball with him as he runs up face against goal."

If they had chosen to run with this pattern, the two-man set-up would be favourable as it would spruce Madrid into a threatening position much, much quicker in comparison to if Alaba had his back turned against play. However, this was not the case on the night.

Who knows, perhaps the explanation is as simple as Real Madrid wanting to cause their opponents confusion with their unorthodox corner tactics. It'll be fascinating to see whether they try something similar during their upcoming fixtures.

Video: Real Madrid's strange corner kick routine

Inside Real Madrid’s Champions League group

Following their last-minute win against Union Berlin, Ancelotti’s hardened outfit sit joint-top with Napoli, who also won their Champions League curtain-raiser by a one-goal advantage. The Naples-based side relied on an 88th-minute own goal from Sikou Niakate to earn three points.

Next up for the 14-time competition winners is an away trip to Napoli, who were dumped out by Serie A rivals AC Milan at the quarter-final stage in 2022/23. Fans from around the globe will be tuning in to see perennial winners Madrid square up with an up-and-coming Napoli side. Ancelotti and his men will then travel to Portugal to face Braga on Tuesday 24 October to round off their first scheduled round of European fixtures.