Another Soldier in Paris

879 days ago Military gave away an iconic photograph: he, sitting on the lawn of the Parc des Princes, totally sunk. It was his debut in the Champions League in white, a dizzying debut… And it ended in altitude sickness. Without Ramos or Nacho, played alongside Varane and the French, in just half an hour, showed the seams of a labile team behind. Such was the case, that PSG’s first two shots went into the cage. Conclusion: in 33 minutes the task was on track and almost sentenced. That Madrid did not meet in the group stage and, as a consequence, crashed in the round of 16 against Citywho beat him 1-2 in both games.

Those were other times for Madrid and for Militao. Because the center-back, two and a half years later, will return to the Parc des Princes with a very different status. Although in 2019 he was a central defender who raised doubts and seemed far from being able to seat Varane and Ramos, today he is one of the leaders of Real Madrid, the most valuable center backs in the world, indisputable along with Alaba in the center of the defense and a pillar of the hierarchy. The data supports it: after Courtois, he is the player with the most minutes in the first team (2,994′ in all competitions, 21′ more than Alaba, third on the list, and 303′ more than Casemiro, fourth).

There is a stark difference between the 2019-20 Militao and the current season. The course of his debut was only a starter in ten of the 38 League daysin the Champions League, in addition to the aforementioned collapse of the Parc des Princes, he only played the inconsequential match of the sixth group day against Bruges… And the second leg against City, to which he gave away a promising “Ramos is not here, but I am”in an interview with AS, to finish showing again an improvable version. But in that talk he showed a desire to hit the table.

And reached the season

To this day no one feels it: he has only been a substitute in one game in all competitions (1-4 vs Granada), having missed only that appointment throughout the course and the Copa visit to Martínez Valero (sanctioned). In the other 23 league games he has not only been a starter, but has played the entire game. In Champions, more of the same, full of minutes. And in the Super Cup… He could have repeated the routine had it not been for his expulsion against Athletic in the 87th minute. Ancelotti he is clear that if he is, he plays and if he plays, the game ends. That Military is not up for debate. This Military is not up for debate.

the new pepe

Despite the fact that his name has sounded like one of the potential candidates behind ChelseaThe truth is that Madrid sees in him a piece with a great future. Like Pepeit was difficult for him to enter the group dynamics, but like his compatriot, over time he has established himself so much in Spanish football that he has already fully taken the measure. His versatility is his best card: he is fast, with good ball output, clean on cut (he has only seen 15 cards in 74 games) and little by little, improving in his offensive facet (This course already has four goals, the last one, transcendental to save a point at the Bernabéu against Elche). With a contract until 2025 and only 24 years old, Madrid finds in Militao, today, a very different player from that of September 18, 2019 that was shown sunk in Paris. It is their leader behind. Your new Pepe.