The future Madrid that was lost

The overwhelming defeat of Real Madrid in Valencia (4-1) has raised criticism about the harshness of the white project, on his resistance to prevail in Spain and, above all, in Europe, where Madrid have lost a lot of momentum in the last two seasons. Much of these comments revolve around the aging of the squad, how the passage of time has eroded its virtues and exacerbated its defects: They surpass the thirty three pillars of Madrid such as Ramos (34), Benzema (32) and Kroos (30), in addition to other important pieces such as Modric (35) or Marcelo (32).

Of a theoretical eleven ideal starter, only Asensio (24) and Valverde (22) are below the quarter century. The squad has relays such as Odegaard (21), Militao (22), Vinicius (20), Rodrygo (19) or Jovic (22), but it gives the feeling that Madrid let go, at the initiative of the club itself or of the players, to certain names that today could invigorate the group that Zidane leads. They are the eight names of the future Madrid that was lost.

Achraf (22 years)

His two-season loan at Dortmund was a smash hit: he played nearly 6,000 minutes, scored 12 goals and provided 17 assists.. His assessment rose like foam and he was always clear that, wherever he went afterwards, it should be to play regularly. With Carvajal in Madrid, his options were reduced and he did not receive messages from the club or Zidane that made him understand otherwise. Sand went to Inter leaving 40 million in the box (Madrid has scoring options to bring him back in the future) And although it has received some criticism in Italy, it is one of the pillars of Conte's project. His absence is more remarkable in view of the fact that Odriozola, now injured, does not fill Zidane's eye; but in defense of the club, the initiative to leave was always the Spanish-Moroccan.

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Reguilón (23)

His case is the clearest and, at the same time, the most bloody. Zidane did not love him and so he let the club know, not the player. “I did not speak with the coach at any time, I did with the club and I knew what the club thought of me. I made a decision with that base ”, explained the Tottenham side at El Chiringuito. After his excellent season on loan in Seville (more than 3,000 minutes, three goals, five assists and a Europa League title), the defender was discarded by Zizou and traded for 30 million, although Madrid have saved buy-back options for the next years. Under Mourinho's orders, he is already flying in the Premier: he has taken over the starting position in the Spurs eleven and has distributed, in 645 minutes, three assists.

Theo (23)

Madrid made a significant investment for the French side (30 million, six more than the 24 of his clause) to remove him from Atlético de Madrid, after a brilliant season at Alavés. But he did not turn white in the 2017-18 season and was loaned to Real Sociedad. In the summer of 2019, the club took advantage of the fact that it had an international cartel and transferred it to Milan for 20 million. In Italy, playing for a team suited to his conditions (low block defense and counterattack), he has recovered his best tone: seven goals and five assists last season, one goal and two assists so far this year.

Marcos Llorente (25)

Real Madrid 2020-21, as well as 2019-20, has all positions doubled except one: that of the defensive midfielder. There is no relief for Casemiro and as soon as the Brazilian coughs, Madrid catches a cold (Valencia, the latest sample). However, Zidane preferred that Llorente leave in the summer of 2019 due to his lack of harmony with him; They already did badly in 2017-18, after the return of the midfielder after his good assignment at Alavés, and the great role he signed with Madrid 2018-19 under Solari did not convince the Marseillais. Madrid ended up transferring him to Atlético for 30 million and, with Simeone, he has discovered a role as a second striker that suits him like a glove: five goals and five assists last year, four goals and two assists so far this time. He has been called by Spain in this break.

Ceballos (24)

His first season in white was not what he expected and, when Zidane left, he was at ease on 'Radio Marca': “I used to work, but there comes a time when you see that it is impossible. I asked him why he didn't play, he told me to assess the players ahead of him. But there was a moment, with Kroos and Modric injured, that changed the system to put others. That burns and hurts you ”. Obviously, while Zidane is the coach of Madrid, Ceballos will have it very difficult to have a leading role, hence the summer of 2019 he left on loan to Arsenal and in the past he repeated the operation. In London his first course was of ups and downs, but he ended up convincing Arteta, who asked for his return; this campaign has settled in the eleven. He will return to Madrid in July, but his future depends on who occupies the white bench.

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Brahim (21)

When Zidane took over the controls of Madrid in the final stretch of the 2018-19 season, Brahim enjoyed a lot of prominence and seemed to convince the coach. However, the club and Zizou himself let him know that it would be difficult to play and that a loan was preferable with which to continue progressing. Brahim refused and paid for it: just 206 minutes in all of 2019-20, scoring a goal and giving an assist. With the lesson learned, he went to Milan (granted; Madrid refused to include a purchase option), where he is playing his game and forming a great partnership with Ibrahimovic. He has three goals and one assist and has not yet established himself as an absolute starter, but he is on the right track.

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Borja Mayoral (23)

His two years on loan at Levante were irregular, but in the second a good version of Parla emerged, with nine goals in just 2,250 minutes. He started the preseason with Real Madrid and Zidane let him know that he wanted him in the squad, as the player himself would later escape: “I told him that he had to go out to have more opportunities, but I think the club listened to Zidane and that's why they wanted to get Jovic out.” He tried to retract, but the denunciation was already committed. Madrid did not find a place for Jovic and Mayoral ended up on loan to Roma, for two years and with a purchase option for the Italian team. He's having a hard time getting in, but the Europa League is his springboard: he doubled against Cluj at the Olympic Games.

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Raúl de Tomás (26)

Zidane always liked more than Mariano, but his attitude is radically opposite to that of the Spanish-Dominican; RDT was clear that he wanted to play above all And that's why it left in the summer of 2019, heading to Benfica, in exchange for 20 million. It did not go well for him and in January he traveled to Barcelona, ​​to Espanyol, where his start was spectacular: four goals in the first four league games with the parrots. As the Espanyolista ship could not refloat, heading to Segunda, it stayed in the silver category to return it to its place: He has six goals and one assist this season, leading Espanyol, a solid leader in 2nd.