Asencio stakes claim for permanent spot in Madrid's defence
Raúl Asencio has risen from fourth-choice centre-back to defensive pillar for Real Madrid, potentially reopening the door to national team selection.
From forgotten man to defensive cornerstone, Raúl Asencio’s transformation at Real Madrid has been nothing short of remarkable this season.
From Fourth Choice to First Name
When the season kicked off, the Canarian defender was barely in Xabi Alonso’s plans. After returning from the Club World Cup with niggles, he found himself firmly at the back of the queue - fourth choice behind Militao, Huijsen and Rüdiger.
Fast forward a few months and it’s a different story altogether. The centre-back’s development has propelled him to a position similar to the one that earned him a Spain call-up last year. His goal against Levante was just the cherry on top - Asencio has emerged as one of the few bright sparks in a Madrid side that’s currently being held together with sticky tape.
Madrid’s Defensive Rock
With both Rüdiger and Militao in the treatment room, Asencio has become the bedrock of Madrid’s central defence. The situation around him isn’t exactly rosy:
- Alaba is barely up to scratch physically
- Huijsen’s form has fallen off a cliff, with his Levante performance just the latest disappointing chapter
Regardless of what combination Arbeloa has in mind for the heart of defence, Asencio has made himself undroppable through sheer consistency.
National Team Opportunity Knocks
Asencio’s purple patch couldn’t have come at a better time personally. With the Finalissima approaching and Spain’s trip to Qatar to face Argentina just two months away, what once seemed a settled position for De la Fuente is now wide open.
The first-choice pairing of Laporte and Le Normand is looking shaky - the Athletic defender has been sidelined for weeks, while Simeone has dropped Robin from his starting eleven at Atlético.
The other centre-backs in De la Fuente’s World Cup qualifying squad - Cubarsí, Vivian and Huijsen - are experiencing mixed fortunes. Only the Barcelona youngster is truly shining, with the Vitoria native and Madrid’s Huijsen well below their best.
This opens a door that seemed firmly shut, with Asencio at the front of the queue. He’s already had a taste of international football when De la Fuente called him up last March for Nations League quarter-finals against the Netherlands, though he didn’t feature in either match.
Bernabéu Backing
In a match filled with whistles and jeers directed at many Madrid players, Asencio stood out for different reasons. When substituted in the 90th minute, the Bernabéu faithful rewarded him with a warm ovation - the ultimate bread and butter for any Madrid player during these troubled times.