Robbie Dunne

Madrid

Writer at Into the Calderón

Data Visualisation Editor at Stats Perform

Irish lad in Madrid. Front end web development and all sorts of data viz for @optaanalystus. One half of @lapausa_pod.

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Articles

Xabi Alonso Takes Charge: The Re-Building of Real Madrid Begins

2 weeks ago | theanalyst.com | Robbie Dunne

Xabi Alonso takescharge of RealMadrid for the first time at the 2025 FIFAClub World Cup. His system of structured freedom could set theclub up for another decade of dominance. Xabi Alonso’s playing career was a lesson in elegant timing. He had an uncanny knack for showing up exactly where thefootballing zeitgeist was about to happen. There was Liverpool’s‘Miracle of Istanbul’. Then on to Real Madrid, just in time for theLisbon final that kickstarted a decade-long dominance of theChampionsLeague.
La Liga Team of the Season: Opta Analyst's 2024-25 XI

1 month ago | theanalyst.com | RYAN BENSON |David Segar |Jamie Kemp |Robbie Dunne

With Spain’s topflight officially done and dusted for the campaign, we look back onit by picking our La Liga Team ofthe Season for 2024-25. Barcelonawere the champions in Spain in 2024-25, securing their 28thtop-flight title with two matches to spare. They dethroned theireternal rivals RealMadrid in the process, who ended the season by parting wayswith legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti, with Xabi Alonso takingover ahead of next season.
How Real Betis Rebuilt Their Way to a European Final

1 month ago | theanalyst.com | Robbie Dunne

Manuel Pellegrini hasRealBetis on the brink of European glory with only Chelsea standingin the way. It hasn’t been plain sailing this season for either himor Betis but they have transformed themselves with the help oftactical tinkering and a smart January transferwindow. If you zoom out on Manuel Pellegrini’s tenure at Real Betis, thepicture is deceptively smooth.
Athletic Bilbao vs. Manchester United: Key Tactical Battles

1 month ago | theanalyst.com | Robbie Dunne

Manchester United stand in the way of a historic Europa League final at San Mamés for Athletic Bilbao. What are the key tactical battles in a tie that could define an era at the Basque club? Athletic Club are dreaming big, and who can blame them? A potential Europa League final at their own stadium, the cathedral that is San Mamés. There’s almost a feeling of destiny about how this whole season is playing out. Any other club might even be tempted into complacency.
Athletic Bilbao vs. Manchester United: Key Tactical Battles

1 month ago | theanalyst.com | Robbie Dunne

Manchester United stand in the way of a historic Europa League final at San Mamés for Athletic Bilbao. What are the key tactical battles in a tie that could define an era at the Basque club? Athletic Club are dreaming big, and who can blame them? A potential Europa League final at their own stadium, the cathedral that is San Mamés. There’s almost a feeling of destiny about how this whole season is playing out. Any other club might even be tempted into complacency.
The Youngest Managers to Win the Premier League

2 months ago | theanalyst.com | Robbie Dunne

Arne Slot is a Premier League title winner. Not only did he win the title with Liverpool in his very first season in England, but he is also one of the youngest managers to win the competition… Let’s run through where he compared to the youngest managers to win the Premier League. Liverpool have finally broken four consecutive seasons of Manchester City dominance by winning the 2024-25 Premier League title.
Academy Products, Long-Term Planning, and Stability: Inside Deportivo La Coruña’s Plan for La Liga Comeback

2 months ago | theanalyst.com | Robbie Dunne

Since Deportivo La Coruña’s last relegation from La Liga in 2018, they’ve spent longer in the third tier than the second. But now back in the Segunda, they’re building sustainably with the aim of getting back to the top flight – and staying there. Deportivo La Coruña occupy that uneasy overlap in the Venn diagram where fading giants and hungry upstarts meet.
2025 NFL Draft: Which Prospects Compare Most Closely to NFL Players?

2 months ago | theanalyst.com | Tyler Greenawalt |Ana Gonzalez |Ana González |Robbie Dunne

We’re using our model to discover which NFL players most resembled this current batch of prospects at the time they were coming out of college. It may not be the cleanest way to do it, but it gives a glimpse of a possible future for a player. Or, at least, a goal for a player to reach and/or surpass. Comparing draft prospects to NFL players is a natural part of the evaluation process. And at no position is this more prevalent than quarterback.
Top MLB Rookies 2025: Players Who Will Come of Age

Mar 23, 2025 | theanalyst.com | Craig Haley |Ana Gonzalez |Ana González |Robbie Dunne

Major League Baseball franchises can get a boost from free agent signings and trades, but time is on their side when prospects turn into proven players. Here’s a breakdown of rookie candidates who seek to make an impact in the 2025 season. Spring training puts a spotlight on MLB rookies. Quite simply, baseball fans want to see who’s going to advance from the Arizona Fall League to the majors’ breakout prospect of the year.
Corbins Hold Key to Arizona Diamondbacks' Success | Opta Analyst

Mar 23, 2025 | theanalyst.com | Ryan Fagan |Ana Gonzalez |Ana González |Robbie Dunne

“Snakes Alive” was the rally cry of the D-backs’ march to the 2023 World Series. Now a big offseason has them thinking big again in one of the toughest divisions in baseball. In the history of our great sport, only three players with the first name Corbin have ever donned a Major League Baseball uniform. Out in the Arizona desert, the Diamondbacks are counting on two of them – Burnes and Carroll – to help lead the franchise back to October’s promised land in 2025.