Marco Asensio continued his sensational start to the 2017-18 season last night by scoring one goal and making four assists as Spain thrashed Croatia 6-0 in the UEFA Nations League – he continued his impressive early-season form as part of Real Madrid’s new-look attack under Julen Lopetegui.
The Spaniard’s displays have vindicated Florentino Peréz and Lopetegui’s decision to not sign a Galáctico replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, who moved to Juventus in the summer.
Even though Mariano Díaz was handed the Portuguese’s number seven shirt upon his return to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium from Lyon, he has proven to be – as many suspected – the natural heir to the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s throne.
The former Spain manager has stuck to Real’s trusted 4-3-3 formation, trusting the 22-year-old as the regular starter on the left flank for the first time in his Real career – Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale have also enjoyed impressive starts to the campaign of their own.
Asensio began the season by playing an hour of Real’s 4-2 loss after extra-time against Atlético Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup Final but has played the full 90 minutes in two of Real’s opening three La Liga games.
He assisted Bale on the league’s opening matchday as Getafe were comfortably beaten 2-0, before earning two assists against both Girona and Leganés as Lopetegui’s side earned consecutive 4-1 victories that saw them move into second place behind Barcelona, level on points, heading into the international break – he has already matched his assists total in the 2017-18 league season.
He was introduced as a late substitute as Luis Enrique’s Spain won 2-1 against England at Wembley, but he starred against the World Cup finalists, Croatia, at Elche’s Manuel Martínez Valero Stadium.
After Saúl Ñíguez had headed the hosts 1-0 ahead, he doubled their lead with a superb, long-distance strike after 30 minutes. Two minutes later, he sent another crashing drive off the underside of the crossbar, which hit the visitors’ goalkeeper, Lovre Kalinic, and bounced in – he had, effectively, scored twice in as many minutes, but an own goal was marked against the Gent ‘keeper’s name.
2 goals in 2 minutes for Spain! ⏰
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 11, 2018
It may go down as an own-goal, but what an effort from Marco Asensio to make it 3-0...🔥🔥🔥
Watch live on Sky Sports PL now!
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His excellent pass sent Rodrigo through on goal, who made it 4-0 before his out-swinging corner was met by Sergio Ramos in typical fashion, who headed home to extend La Roja’s lead to five. With twenty minutes remaining, he assisted Isco’s finish into the top corner as Spain secured the biggest victory over a World Cup finalist in history to cap a wonderful, man-of-the-match display.
He was signed for just €3.9 million in 2014 from Mallorca; Peréz had to battle Barcelona for his signature. He remained with Los Bermellones for the remainder of the 2014-15 campaign before enjoying a spell on loan with Espanyol a year later.
His stunning display against Croatia came as no surprise to the Bernabéu faithful – he scored a 25-yard strike against Sevilla in the 2016 Super Cup final on his full debut, under Zinedine Zidane, and has since won a La Liga crown, the Supercopa de España, the UEFA Champions League, Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup twice each.
However, until Lopetegui’s arrival, he always played a bit-part role during Los Blancos’ success; he was in the shadow of Ronaldo, Lucas Vázquez enjoyed regular minutes and Isco was often shunted out wide to make way for Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro in the center of the midfield – he played the full 90 minutes in only 12 of Real’s 38 league games last season, and in only five in his debut campaign the year before.
He played a total of just 27 minutes in Spain’s three group fixtures at the World Cup as Fernando Hierro’s side crashed out at the round of 16 stage against the tournament’s hosts, Russia, on penalties.
Now, though, he is one of the stars of both Real and Spain’s teams – he was named after Dutch legend Marco van Basten and looks well on his way to emulating his great achievements. At the beginning of the season, he had blonde highlights in his hair, as if to make it obvious that he was keen to follow in Ronaldo’s footsteps.
His ability to shoot from distance, showcased by a series of goals including a stunning half-volley against Las Palmas last season, deceptive speed and willingness to collect the ball in tight spaces and dribble at his marker are his best qualities, suiting him to his role in Real’s side with Bale on the opposite flank using his unmatched pace to get in behind the last man.
Asensio will be looking to score his first league goal of the season on Saturday, as Real travel to the Basque Country to face Athletic Club, but he should be looking to comfortably beat his total of 11 last campaign.
Over 40, à la Ronaldo, is, almost certainly, unrealistic, but with his and Benzema’s obvious improvement and Bale back to full fitness, Real’s goal deficit without the Portuguese is certainly not as big as was once feared.