Real Madrid: The 5 most improved players of the season

CB Nacho Fernandez

Nacho Fernandez has always been a nice role player for Real Madrid, but there were concerns last season that his best days were behind him. Los Blancos asked him to play at both left and right back in 2019-2020, and while he was decent in both positions, his lack of speed and offensive threat made it seem like his days would be numbered. There were rumors he could be sold in 2020, one year after he turned down a move to join Julen Lopetegui at Sevilla.

Madridistas sure are glad Nacho didn’t go anywhere this past summer, because he is having one of the finest seasons of his career.

The third-choice center back for much of the season, Nacho’s brilliance overshadowed even the promise of Eder Militao before the latter got his chance against Liverpool in light of Raphael Varane’s positive COVID-19 test.

Nacho has started frequently this season due to Sergio Ramos’ multiple injuries, and the Real Madrid defense has not missed a beat. That’s been a massive development for Los Blancos, because, in the past, losing Ramos, particularly in the Champions League, was a near death sentence for Real.

With his leadership skills and willingness to go forward, Nacho has done whatever it takes to replace Ramos. Nacho has read the game well and been strong in the tackle. He rarely makes mistakes. I can scarcely recall a single notable error from the Spanish international this season.

Although Nacho is 31 years old, it’s more than accurate to describe him as a player who has significantly stepped up his performances for the club in 2020-2021.