Real Madrid: Top 5 storylines to watch for the rest of 2019-2020

3. Brahim, Mariano getting chances

Brahim Diaz received his first minutes of action since the restart against Mallorca, and he nearly scored from the edge of the box. The former Manchester City youngster is a favorite among fans, who recognize that he is one of the top Spanish attacking prospects. Brahim loves shooting from outside the box and has the accuracy to score from nothing, as he showed in the Copa del Rey.

It’s going to be difficult for Brahim to receive playing time, even with the need for rotations. But he’s one of those players who can capture lightning in a bottle in just a few minutes, so all it takes is the perfect storm for Brahim to take center stage.

The same goes for Mariano, who scored in mere seconds to seal El Clasico for Real Madrid. Mariano works harder than almost anyone else when he hits the pitch as a substitute, showing how determined he is to make an impact for Los Blancos. Mariano could be a star anywhere else in Europe, but instead of being satisfied with playing for a smaller club, Mariano relishes the challenge of proving himself at Real.

It looks like he’s destined to finally leave this summer, but maybe, just maybe, Mariano can still make one last impression and convince Zinedine Zidane that he has the quality to stick around.