Real Madrid recently defeated Cadiz 3-0, offering Madridistas brief reprieve from the Florentino Perez-induced drama that has taken over the fanbase over the past couple of days. Los Blancos remain in striking distance of the top spot in La Liga, while they are preparing to take on Chelsea in the semifinals of the Champions League next week.
Their success in 2020-2021 stems largely from the performances of the “old guard”, which includes Karim Benzema and Luka Modric among its ranks. But there have also been a few players who have stepped up their performances this season, aiding Real in their competitiveness.
Here are the five most improved Real Madrid players of the season thus far, including one loanee.
RB Lucas Vazquez
We begin with a player who is no longer contributing to Real Madrid due to a season-ending injury he suffered in El Clasico. Lucas Vazquez and Los Blancos may have to go their separate ways this summer, and, if they do, Vazquez has given Madridistas quite the parting gift.
Simply put, Real would not be in this position in either La Liga or the Champions League without Vazquez. He has been among the leaders of the Champions League in statistics like shot-creating actions, distance covered, and carries on the ball.
Although Vazquez is a winger, he was incredible at the right back position, standing out as one of the top players in the league at the position prior to his injury. He even had an assist and was named Player of the Week for his first half against Barcelona prior to the injury.
Vazquez went from being a liability for Los Blancos in 2019-2020 to being one of the team’s bedrock players this season.
CB Eder Militao
Eder Militao had an encouraging first season for Real Madrid in 2019-2020, playing a key role in the march to the title with his shutdown performance of Athletic Club star forward Inaki Williams at San Mames. But Militao wasn’t playing at anywhere near the level he is right now.
The Brazilian defender’s inclusion on this list comes after a string of five straight matches against Liverpool (twice), Barcelona, Getafe, and Cadiz in which Los Blancos conceded just two goals overall. They had clean sheets over Getafe, Cadiz, and Liverpool, and Militao pretty much carried the defense in that 0-0 draw with Getafe.
Militao has all the tools necessary to become a great center back for Real Madrid. If both Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane leave this summer, Real can have confidence in the former FC Porto man, because he proved he can be a strong starter when he went toe-to-toe with two of Europe’s elite clubs and did not look out of place at all.
Composed on the ball and sharp with his long passing, Militao has a little bit of Ramos to his game. He’s even scored with his head this season. The 23-year-old’s always had promise, but after being mentioned in transfer rumors, his recent displays have made it clear to Madridistas that he must be a part of this club’s future.
ST Borja Mayoral
Let’s talk about the loanee included in this list of five. Borja Mayoral received some praise from Zinedine Zidane this summer and even scored himself a couple of appearances off the bench for Los Blancos early in the season prior to his move to Roma. According to Mayoral himself, Zidane actually preferred the long-time Real prospect to 60 million euro acquisition Luka Jovic, who was later loaned to Eintracht Frankfurt this winter.
Mayoral has outperformed every Real Madrid striker other than Karim Benzema this season, essentially proving Zidane’s reported intrigue in the former Wolfsburg man correct. He’s seemingly broken out of nowhere with 15 goals and 4 assists in all competitions for AS Roma. You could even make the case that he is outplaying long-time Roma standout – and an even more successful former Wolfsburg marksman – Edin Dzeko.
Although Mayoral will almost certainly secure a permanent move to Roma, he merits placement on this list. Mayoral went from being a decent player at Levante to a double-digit goal-scorer and one of the better strikers in Serie A. Roma have advanced to the semifinals of the Europa League against Manchester United, and Mayoral’s 7 goals in 643 minutes in the competition have certainly played a role in their success.
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.
LW Vinicius Junior
We close the list with a player who is still, technically, a prospect. Because Vinicius Junior has been a key player for Real Madrid for at least two seasons, it is easy to forget that the Brazilian winger is just 20 years old. And that can be a disservice to him, since some fans expect too much from the young man.
Perhaps the expectations got to him in the middle of the 2020-2021 season, because had a really rough slump. He was not taking on defenders with his usual zeal, and his issues in front of goal seemed to be exacerbated.
But since the month of February began, Vinicius has been in fine form, having responded perfectly to his earlier struggles. A resilient, hard-working offensive player, Vini is one of the best wingers in Europe at carrying the ball and starting chances. And on one night against Liverpool, he was lethal at finishing his chances, bagging a brace in a vital 3-1 first leg win.
Vinicius has been Real Madrid’s second-best forward after Karim Benzema this season. Since Real are still rebuilding their attack, that might not be high praise, but Vini’s ability to step up in the biggest games has been tremendous to see. Whether it was the second leg against Atalanta, the first leg against Liverpool, or the most recent Clasico, Vini made sure to step up for Los Merengues in the biggest matches.
He keeps getting better and better, and his play over the last couple of months is an indication that he is indeed finding a new level to his game in 2020-2021.