Real Madrid: Ferland Mendy and Sergio Reguilon will be a treat

Real Madrid will have the best left backs in the world next season when Sergio Reguilon returns from loan at Sevilla to join established stalwart Ferland Mendy.

Last season, Real Madrid paired a rising star with an aging veteran at left back, and it worked wonderfully. Ferland Mendy had an immediate impact as an incoming transfer from Lyon, providing defensive stability to the back four. Marcelo, on the other hand, brought creativity and created chances galore when in his element.

Next season, Real Madrid will have an even more enviable pairing of left backs. Because if Mendy was La Liga’s best defensive left back last season, then Reguilon was the league’s best offensive fullback. It’s splitting hairs comparing them, but in one of those two players, Los Blancos will have the league’s best left back in 2020-2021.

There are other great left backs in the league, such as Los Blancos arch-nemesis Jordi Alba, but Reguilon and Mendy are ascending like nobody else. And because they have different skill-sets, Zinedine Zidane can mix and match them perfectly. Throw in Achraf Hakimi, who can start at either right or left back, and Real are beyond loaded.

Last season, Reguilon was one of Sevilla’s star players. He scored once and recorded an impressive four assists for Julen Lopetegui‘s side, averaging 1.6 key passes per game. According to WhoScored.com, the 23-year-old was one of the most dynamic fullbacks on the ball in the league, with 1.7 dribbles per game and 1.6 fouls drawn per game.

Defensively, Reguilon looked much-improved and didn’t sacrifice on those important duties either. He was a menace on the left side of the formation, recording 2.1 tackles per game and 1.1 interceptions per game, absolutely ruling the flank for Sevilla.

Meanwhile, Ferland Mendy had 1.4 tackles per game, 1.1 interceptions per game, and was almost never dribbled past. He was a rock defensively, showing great intelligence with his positioning and the closing speed to enable him to push high up the pitch to support the attack.

Mendy didn’t make the same impact as Reguilon in the attack, but his comfort level started to grow. He nearly scored a couple of wonder-goals and had an assist. Mendy was quite difficult to stop on the ball, nearly averaging two dribbles per game.

Real Madrid will have an embarrassment of riches at left back next season, and the best part is that both Mendy and Reguilon can only get better. Reguilon is a fast-improving player at 23, while Mendy is an even quicker learning who is inching closer to his best years at the age of 24.

Los Blancos are building a dominant squad in La Liga, and Reguilon and Mendy will form one of the underrated strengths of the team next season. Clubs in the league and around Europe will quickly grow to fear Zinedine Zidane’s options on the left side.

And, of course, who can forget about the legend himself, Marcelo? He isn’t done yet, as Barcelona learned in the most recent Clasico.