Zero from 133 may sound like a free-throw statistic for Shaquille O'Neal or Dwight Howard. Instead it is the number of goals that Mourinho's Real Madrid has scored from corner kicks this season. 'Los Blancos' are the team that has taken the most corners and scored the least goals in La Liga, the same as five sides currently embroiled in a relegation battle: Mallorca, Celta, Osasuna, Zaragoza y Rayo.

Madrid has taken 133 corners in 17 games – an average of more than seven per match – and has yet to score a single goal. Getafe, without looking any further, has already scored four times despite taking 29 corners less.

It's an unsolved mystery how a team that includes corner kick takers like Özil, Kaká, Modric, Xabi Alonso or Di María and talented headers of the ball like Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Khedira or Cristiano Ronaldo, hasn't scored a single goal from a corner.

Mourinho isn't just losing the league because of a lack of accuracy from corners. He’s also losing it because of an inability to defend them. Real Madrid has conceded from set pieces six times this season, losing 10 of the 18 points it has dropped so far this season.

"We can't work any harder on set pieces", Mourinho said. With or without practice, Real Madrid has to improve because Manchester United is waiting just around the corner.