A Family Danger: From Tomás

Raúl de Tomás He arrived in Madrid at the age of seven and left definitively at 24. That very long period of training, with three assignments (Córdoba, Valladolid and Rayo), He only had enough time to play 14 minutes in the first team, which Ancelotti gave him against Cornellà in Copa almost seven years ago. In Castilla he was taken by Willian José and neither did he dazzle Zidane: “He was my idol, but the pressure got the better of me. Things did not turn out the way I wanted. I didn't know how to restore his trust. “

De Tomás was discovered by Madrid in the San Roque district of Barajas, where his parents ran a driving school. Then he played as a midfielder, but at the white club they always thought that he would perform better as a forward. They were right to sign him and to change his registration. At that time he was already a fan of the white team and a partner of Rayo. As a cadet, his coach at the time, Míchel, suggested that he study at SEK as an intern. “I used to frequent friendships that were a bit problematic,” he later confessed.

A personal trainer

At that time he was already the best promise of the quarry, an exceptional scorer. Then his progression slowed down. He went to Córdoba and later to Valladolid, but He ended up dazzling at Rayo: 24 goals in his first season and 14 in the second, despite the decline of the franjirrojos. Between one and the other, Lopetegui offered him to stay in Madrid's first team: “I wanted to play. Staying there meant losing a year.” That conceited air that he denies never helped him: “They may think, from my gestures, that I am a pimp, but it is not like that.”

Madrid ended up selling it to Benfica for 20 million. There it lasted six months (17 games and three goals). And then a Espanyol almost evicted bet on him and paid 22.5 million (the most expensive signing in the club's history). He scored five goals in that half season, but could not avoid the Espanyol relegation and had to cut his record in half. Last season he was the most decisive player in the Second Division, with 23 goals, and this season he has already scored two of the four parakeets and three more have been canceled. He has a personal trainer, who takes care of his physique, his diet and even his emotional state. Carrying him always with him has changed his career.

Bare or David López

Today he faces 'his' Madrid for the second time (with the Lightning he could not do it because of the today repealed clause of fear), in which a significant part of the fans places him above Jovic or Mariano (follow the game live on As.com).

From Tomás, who like Benzema does not lose properties outside the area, is the spearhead of a Espanyol with goal problems. No other striker has scored in seven rounds and heavyweight players, like Embarba, Loren or Dimata, they are far from their best moment. Yangel Herrera, one of his eight signings, has not yet been able to debut. And his fourteenth place in the table, with only one victory, restless. Today a more muscular midfield is expected, with Bare or David López, and Melamed as the third striker with more work.

Madrid have had their last two results erased their smile. Villarreal lowered the volume a lot (three shots on goal when his average goes above eight) and the Sheriff again undressed his defense. The squad limps over there. Ancelotti has already tested four right-backs (Carvajal, Lucas Vázquez, Nacho and Valverde) and five left-backs (Alaba, Marcelo, Miguel Gutiérrez, Nacho and Camavinga). Nothing has worked. Courtois concedes more than one goal per game, a much higher average than the previous two seasons.

The multi-champion trio

To summarize the changes it would suffice to say that they will play Modric, Kroos and nine more. Ancelotti reserved the Croatian thinking that the Sheriff was something else and Today he will return to the eleven with Kroos, already recovered from his injury (the Italian announced his ownership), and a downcast Casemiro. The multi-champion trio.

It is also expected Hazard, one of the best in the Moldovan disaster. So far he has played seven of the nine games of the course, five as a starter. It is not what it was, but its competition is very irregular. Rodrygo did not just break and Asensio, with discomfort in the left buttock, and Isco, with an overload on his back, are not even available. BEnzema and Vinicius, seen the panorama, are untouchable, at least until the return of the next FIFA window, in which they will bring the usual beating on top

Cornellà will be warmer than usual. The Generalitat is one step behind the Government and will only allow a 60% capacity, compared to 40% the previous week. Support will be needed by a Espanyol who should not look back: a victory in the last 27 games with Madrid.