While the Real Madrid first team continues to prepare for the season in the United States, three players are in Madrid training with the youth team.
Just before coaching the first match at his new job, Los Blancos legend Raul Gonzalez saw three first-team regulars join in training with the younger players. Borja Mayoral, Fede Valverde, and Jesús Vallejo all went through some endurance and ball drills as they prepare for the new campaign.
Both Vallejo and Mayoral were granted a late return to training after playing for the Spanish U-21 team in the European Championship. Vallejo played a crucial role on defense and Mayoral scored a few nice goals to held guide their side to the championship.
Valverde, on the hand, was at the Copa America in Brazil with the Uruguayan national team who lost on penalties in the quarterfinals to Peru.
All three of these players are considered members of the ‘B squad’ and are not looked at as key pieces in Zinedine Zidane’s system. With the departure of Dani Ceballos on loan for the year, Valverde could have a chance to play more and show his worth to the boss.
Mayoral is on the outside looking in as he sits fourth on the depth chart behind Karim Benzema, Luka Jovic, and Mariano Diaz. Rumors were circulating a month ago that a move to another Spanish club was in the cards for Borja, but nothing official has come through yet.
Jesús Vallejo could have a shot to be the fourth center back selected in the first-team considering how poorly Nacho Fernandez played against Arsenal. Vallejo showed he can be a back bone center back with Spain and could be given the chance to play alongside Eder Militao early in the season.
The three players will continue to work with the Castilla team until the first-team returns from North America in just a few days. All three – Valverde, Vallejo, and Mayoral – are all expected to travel to Munich for the Audi Cup taking place on July 30 and 31.
It will be quite a showdown to see which of these players can do the most to impress Zidane and his staff with only three games to work with. Could some of these players be loaned out before the start of the league campaign?
We will learn a lot in just a weeks time.