Barça’s Hidden Arsenal Unleashed: How Set Pieces Are Winning the Day
29 septembre 2025
Set-pieces become Barca's new weapon
Barcelona has quietly turned dead-ball situations into a decisive strategic advantage, strengthening their push in the current season.
Within a single week, the Catalan giants collected six points thanks to a rising proficiency from corners, with three of the last four goals coming from that set-piece play.
After the 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad in La Liga Round 7, head coach Hans Flick noted: We work on these balls, perhaps not as much as the goalkeeping coach José Ramón De La Fuente or the assistant Heiko Vesterhammann would like, but we apply ourselves. We have strength in these moments, and it’s important to execute well.
According to the Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Barca has learned to leverage this facet in tougher matches, a domain that had historically posed difficulties for the team.
Last Thursday, facing Real Oviedo at the Carlos Tartiere stadium, a late equalizer came from a short corner by Eric Garcia, before Ronald Araújo powered in a header from a precise Rashford cross for the winner in stoppage time.
The same formula appeared at the Luis Campañes venue against Real Sociedad, where Jules Koundé headed home from a corner in a moment of pressure for the Blaugrana.
Earlier, another promising moment had seen a clever one-two between Frenkie de Jong and Rashford culminate in a save by goalkeeper Remiro from a shot that could have changed the momentum.
Center-backs have played their part too. Koundé, who opened his scoring account this season, becomes the 11th Barca player to score in eight competitive matches, a sign of the growing threat from set-pieces on both ends of the pitch.
Set-piece effectiveness
This season, Barcelona has tallied five direct goals from corners: a pair against Levante (Pedri and Ferran), another pair against Oviedo (Eric and Araújo), and the late header against Real Sociedad by Koundé. It underscores a shift toward a new offensive outlet beyond the traditional build-up game.
The ongoing injury crisis—Terstegen, Gavi, Balde, Ferran, Joan Garcia, and Raphinha among them—has actually spurred this adaptation. The set-piece route provides a reliable alternative to widen attacking options and maintain competitiveness during rough spells.
A historical note
The team’s headed goals have created a historic moment: it’s the first time in the 21st century that Barca scores four straight headers in league play, according to journalist Oriol Govi. The run features Lewandowski and Araújo against Oviedo, followed by Lewandowski and Koundé against Real Sociedad.
The last time Barcelona achieved a similar feat dates back to 1999, when Celades scored against Real Betis (13 June 1999), then Klüivert, Ronald de Boer, and Klüivert again against Valencia (15 August 1999).
The recent success signals a notable evolution in Barca’s identity: from a team rooted in possession and short passing to one that also capitalizes on aerial and set-piece opportunities when matches demand a different approach.
Despite ongoing absences, these set-pieces have mitigated some of the attack’s constraints, offering a practical alternative to sustain momentum and threaten from various ranges.
If this approach maintains its current effectiveness, it could become one of the season’s defining weapons, potentially aiding a return to domestic and continental glory.
In short, Barcelona is discovering that not all battles are won on the floor—some are won in the air—and the results are starting to speak for themselves.
And yes, if you’re counting, the corners aren’t just for winning free kicks—they’re for winning games. Who knew geometry could be this heroic?
