Real Madrid homegrown talent gains prominence in team amid injury woes | OneFootball

With the November international break coming to an end, Real Madrid are set to resume their campaign this weekend as they take on Elche.

However, heading into this game, the club are facing major problems in the defensive unit, with Eder Militao picking up a fresh injury while Antonio Rudiger remains sidelined.

There are question marks over Dean Huijsen’s fitness, with the youngster not featuring for Spain during the international break.

Time for Asencio to shine

As reported by AS, the defensive crisis has created an unexpected opening for Raul Asencio.

The 22-year-old homegrown centre-back is now poised to take on a starting role as coach Xabi Alonso looks to navigate the ongoing defensive woes.

Asencio, for his part, has already demonstrated his readiness to step up. In the final match before the break against Rayo Vallecano, he delivered a standout performance that solidified his credentials for the first team.

Raul Asencio has an excellent opportunity to shine amid Real Madrid’s injury woes. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The defender played the full 90 minutes at Estadio Vallecas, recording three clearances and a crucial tackle to deny a counter-attack.

His distribution was equally effective; he completed 49 of 54 passes for a 91% success rate, serving as a key link in the build-up play.

With Huijsen unlikely to be fully fit for the trip to the Martinez Valero Stadium, Asencio is expected to anchor the defense.

Alonso, though, is also training Ferland Mendy in the centre-back position, knowing the Frenchman doesn’t have any future in the left-back role.

However, in the broader context, with Real Madrid keen on signing a new defender in 2026, now is the time for Asencio to prove himself if he wants to retain his role in the Real Madrid team.