Real Madrid breakout talent not getting carried away amid showers of praise | OneFootball

Real Madrid head into the game against Manchester City tonight with Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger, and David Alaba all unavailable through injury.

If there is still some confidence in the team’s defence, it is only because of young Raul Asencio and his seamless adaptation to first-division football for Los Blancos this season.

Still, in the early years of his career, it is not ideal for Asencio to be the leader in Real Madrid’s defence, but he has shown time and time again that he has what it takes to make it big at the club and is set to be rewarded with a new contract.

Focused on growth

Asencio is the first Real Madrid Castilla player in a while to receive consistent minutes with the first team and it is safe to say that he has established himself as one of Carlo Ancelotti’s trusted weapons.

As relayed in a recent report by MARCA, however, Asencio is unperturbed by the hype around his rise and knows that his future completely depends on his growth.

Enjoying a breakthrough season. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The player is thus committed to hard work and continuous improvement to become the best version of himself. His mentality echoes the thoughts of his teammates in the lower division, who said the following when asked about Asencio.

“He is a leader on and off the field, there is no one with as much confidence in himself as Ral. He competes for everything and at all hours, he doesn’t like to lose anything.”

The 21-year-old delivered a sensational performance against Atletico Madrid last weekend and earned a rousing ovation from the Santiago Bernabeu.

He racked up three clearances, and two tackles, won 100% of his duels, and completed 96% of his passes on the night, and it is clear that he has earned the affection of the Real Madrid faithful.

The inevitable comparisons with Sergio Ramos have begun and serve as a testament to his growth, but the player will look to keep himself isolated from the media and focused on the job at hand.

After all, going up against Erling Haaland and Manchester City is easier said than done as the leader of Real Madrid’s defence.