Mastantuono struggling to find his feet at Madrid
The Argentine wonderkid is yet to replicate his River Plate form at the Bernabéu, with even compatriot Kempes criticising his lack of courage on the wing.
Young Argentine talent finding it tough to adapt to life in the Spanish capital as both fans and pundits express concerns over his performances.
Kempes pulls no punches
Argentine legend Mario Kempes hasn’t minced his words about Franco Mastantuono’s current situation at Real Madrid. The former River Plate youngster has managed to earn starting spots under both Xabi Alonso and now Álvaro Arbeloa, but he’s looking about as comfortable as a cat in a dog pound.
Kempes was particularly blunt, suggesting the lad needs more bottle: “He has to shoot from distance, take players on like Lamine Yamal does,” the World Cup winner advised.
Square peg, round hole?
The truth is Mastantuono simply isn’t showing the profile of a natural winger. He struggles to beat his man on the outside, rarely creates depth, and constantly drifts centrally looking for space.
At River Plate, he was primarily beloved as a number 10, though he did occasionally play wide. The problem? In that central playmaker role, he’s got some proper talent ahead of him in the pecking order:
- Jude Bellingham
- Arda Güler
Both managers seem to agree on his position though. Xabi and Arbeloa have consistently deployed him on the right wing, valuing his defensive contribution and pressing ability - especially important when playing alongside Vinicius and Mbappé, who aren’t exactly known for their tracking back.
Pressure mounting
Mastantuono himself acknowledged the adjustment in a previous interview: “At River I had a more prominent role, I could play more freely, drift inside… Here the coach asks me to stay wide.”
His recent performance against Rayo was particularly disappointing, with the Bernabéu faithful giving him the bird as he was subbed off. Not exactly the London welcome he was hoping for.
Competition for his spot is heating up too. Brahim Díaz has returned from AFCON, Rodrygo is back from injury, and there’s young Gonzalo in the mix as well. Even Camavinga and Valverde could potentially be deployed in wider positions if needed.
The Argentine needs to find his true position at Madrid sharpish, or he might find himself watching more games from the bench than the pitch.