Real Madrid News
Real Madrid youth prodigy had received offers to leave the club in January – report
Gonzalo Garcia has become an overnight sensation for Real Madrid following his exceptional performance in the opening FIFA Club World Cup match against Al Hilal.
The youngster scored the only goal of the game, as Real Madrid were halted to a 1-1 draw by the Saudi Arabian giants.
Following his performance, many expect Garcia to make a stunning breakthrough in the first-team this season. Many also believe that Real Madrid may have already found their replacement for Joselu.
Gonzalo Garcia had offers to leave in January
According to MARCA, things could have turned very diffrently for Garcia, who had offers to leave the club in January.
Several clubs were reportedly keen on securing his services during the winter window, but the Valdebebas hierarchy was firm in its decision to keep him.
The club’s reasoning was twofold: they needed his firepower to help Real Madrid Castilla’s push for promotion, and he was also considered a valuable emergency backup for the first team.
The decision paid off. The forward enjoyed a stellar campaign for the reserves, equalling Mariano Diaz’s record of 25 goals for the B-team and finishing as the top scorer in the history of the Primera Federacion.
Now, after his decisive goal under Xabi Alonso, his future is once again a hot topic.
But while the new manager is known to be an admirer and could give him opportunities, his path is not entirely clear, especially with Endrick also vying for a spot.
The club are yet to make a final decision, but by rejecting the January offers, they have ensured Garcia has become a valuable asset, who could be set for a big season ahead.
Real Madrid prospect Alexis Ciria will have to wait for his Champions League opportunity despite making a strong impression on Jose Mourinho during pre-season.
The Castilla winger has been left out of Real Madrid’s European squad, but the decision is the consequence of UEFA registration rules rather than a sporting judgment.
According to journalist Arancha Rodriguez (h/t Defensa Central), Ciria was not eligible for Madrid’s List B because he has not been with the club long enough to satisfy UEFA’s requirements.
Registering him would therefore have required Mourinho to include him on the more restrictive List A.
UEFA rules work against Ciria
List B provides clubs with additional flexibility to register young academy players, but being young enough is not sufficient on its own.
Players must also meet requirements concerning how long they have been eligible to represent the club.
Ciria does not meet those conditions because of his limited time at Valdebebas. Real Madrid would therefore have needed to sacrifice a List A position to register him.
With those places required for members of Mourinho’s senior squad, Ciria was ultimately left out.
Real Madrid’s List B instead includes youngsters such as Joan Martinez, Mario Rivas, Thiago Pitarch, Jorge Cestero and Daniel Yanez.
Many of these youngsters made a name for themselves under Mourinho during pre-season and could be used to make up the numbers in the Champions League squad.
They could also get some minutes off the bench, especially against relatively easier opposition, as Jose Mourinho looks to manage first-team minutes.
Mourinho still plans first-team opportunity
Importantly for Ciria, missing the Champions League squad does not appear to reflect a change in Mourinho’s opinion of him.
The youngster impressed during pre-season and is expected to continue spending time around the senior team.
Mourinho intends to give Ciria his official first-team debut during the season. That opportunity will now have to arrive in La Liga or the Copa del Rey.
The Portuguese tactician placed a lot of emphasis on trusting Castilla players during pre-season in the absence of first-team stars.
Ciria was one of the many names who made a name for themselves at Real Madrid during pre-season. He deserves a chance in the first team, and it remains to be seen how Jose plans his development.
