Real Madrid: 5 players with a point to prove before 2020-21 ends

RW Marco Asensio

Out of the five players on this list, Marco Asensio is the only one who is not at risk of being sold this summer. While there are surely quite a few Madridistas who want the right winger gone from the club, the reality is that Asensio would not fetch fair market value. He is too good to sell for a lesser price, and his technical quality with his left foot is a real asset to Madrid.

We recently saw Asensio go on a streak of four straight games with a goal, and it’s clear that the 25-year-old can be a valuable role player for this team. Asensio is no superstar player. It is unfair to expect him to produce like a superstar and to put that kind of pressure on his shoulders when he does not have the skill-set to fulfill the obligations of a superstar at Real Madrid.

But he has the skill-set to help the team with his cultured left foot. Asensio struggled against Liverpool in the second leg, and he’s had more than his fair share of poor performances in what has still been a letdown of a 2020-2021 season despite the brief streak of goals.

If Asensio can get back on track in front of goal, all will be forgiven and forgotten. We know how much he loves a clutch goal and how much he heats up later in the campaign, especially in the Champions League. This is Asensio’s time to shine, regardless of the challenges he’s faced over the past couple of years.