Real Madrid star Franco Mastantuono – ‘I haven’t been at my best, at River I had a more prominent role’ | OneFootball

Real Madrid starlet Franco Mastantuono has made a strong start to life in Spanish football, disputing a starting spot in the opening months of the season on the rigth side of midfield. However he promised there was plenty more to come, and suggested a change of role might be playing a part in it.

Mastantuono is currently recovering from a sports hernia injury, but did return to training on Tuesday, and confirmed he was working hard to make it back. After telling Cadena SER that he was comfortable with the pressure at Real Madrid, Mastantuono did discuss the period of adaptation he is going through.

“It’s a pleasure to play with all these players you mentioned and everyone else at the club. It’s always great to play with the best; you learn so much. Part of the adjustment is joining a new team, a new club, a new city, and playing in a league that’s different from the Argentine league. Over time, I’ll get to know my teammates better and contribute wherever I’m needed. I’m not focused on being the star, but on helping my teammates, and then everything will fall into place as I’d like.”

‘I haven’t reached my peak’ – Mastantuono

The 18-year-old seemed to settle in well early on, but he has promised that there is plenty more to come from him.

“I know for sure that my best version is yet to come. I had a really good spell at River that got me here today, but I know I haven’t reached my peak yet. I’m not going to be satisfied with what I’ve done so far. I’m going to keep working and improving so I can reach the very top. That’s my goal: to stay at the top for a long time at the biggest club in the world, Real Madrid, where I’m fortunate enough to be at 18 years old, and I want this to last a long time so I can keep improving.”

Image via Marca

‘At River, I had a more prominent role’

Part of that, Mastantuono reasoned, was the fact that he is much less the centre of the creative department compared to what he was asked to do at River Plate.

“Well, yes, at River I had a more prominent role, I played a bit more freely, I could drift into the middle… It’s also part of football. Today the coach asks me to play closer to the touchline and I’ll always do it with all the passion this club deserves. I’ll help from wherever I’m needed, as long as it’s positive.”

However he showed no malcontent with the role that Xabi Alonso was asking of him.

“No, I play wherever the coach sees fit and wherever I can help the team. I feel comfortable when I can help the team, on the right, on the left… Wherever I’m needed, if it’s to help the team, I’ll do it with all my heart.”

‘Vinicius is an incredible person’ – Mastantuono

One of the constant talking points at Real Madrid over the last couple of weeks at the Bernabeu has been Vinicius Junior’s outburst at Alonso during El Clasico. Mastantuono was clear that Vinicius had responded well.

“When he came off in that match, it wasn’t the right way to handle it. He apologised to Xabi afterward, and to everyone in the dressing room. He apologised to the team, really, because we’re all one and we don’t focus on individual performances. The important thing is that we’re all united to move forward.”

Image via Carl Recine/Getty Images

“Vinicius is an incredible person who gets a lot of criticism for his behaviour, but he brings joy to the dressing room and is always ready to play. Obviously, he gets angry, just like we all do, if he ever comes off. Maybe that wasn’t the right way to handle it, but he quickly acknowledged it and knows he’s very important to the team and is one of the captains. He apologised, and that’s it. These things happen in football.”

So far this season Mastantuono has played 12 times, registering a goal and an assist, but was a bright spark early on for Alonso. Nine of those matches were starts, but he has missed the last two due to the sports hernia. He explained that he had been dealing with pain for some time, and now it was ‘time to stop and to get healthy’.