Real Madrid cannot start Marco Asensio next season

Real Madrid are going to have a difficult time making upgrades in the summer transfer market, and that’s part of the appeal with hiring Carlo Ancelotti. He is an experienced manager who not only knows how to win under the unique circumstances of this club, but he’s also a manager who is known for making the most out of the attacking talent on this hands.

Ancelotti will have his work cut out for him, managing a team whose second-highest scorer in LaLiga was defensive midfielder Casemiro. The wingers struggled to help support Karim Benzema’s 30 goals in all competitions, with Vinicius Junior missing chances, Marco Asensio ghosting, and Eden Hazard mostly injured.

There is optimism that Ancelotti can get more out of Hazard and Gareth Bale, but not even the three-time Champions League-winning coach can guarantee that. And there’s not even a guarantee that either will be on the team next season. They most likely will be due to their onerous salaries, though I have a feeling Real would jump at the chance to offload one of them if they can find a suitor.

Out of all the wingers on Real Madrid’s books, Ancelotti should be able to find someone productive. The key will be finding the right role for each player.

Marco Asensio‘s role in the 2020-2021 season was that of a starter. He played 1,876 minutes in LaLiga, meaning only Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior had more playing time. Yet three forwards averaged more goals and assists per 90 minutes than Asensio.

Out of his nine goal contributions, four of them came as a substitute. Asensio started in 28 games and came off the bench in 18 matches, yet he was basically as likely to score off the bench as he was to score as a starter.

Marco Asensio can have a role at Real Madrid, just not as a regular starter

That is Asensio’s role. He is a super-sub. Asensio is someone with a great deal of technical quality who can score from range, and he can help change the game in an attacking midfield role where he can shoot with his left foot from the channels or from the center of the pitch outside the box.

Asensio is not someone who can start on the wings for Real Madrid every single game. He does not have the one-on-one dribbling ability. Asensio cannot create his own shot like Vinicius Junior or create chances for others like Eden Hazard. And he is not even the level of athlete Gareth Bale is at this stage of his career. He cannot produce the on-the-ball magic or out-of-nothing goals that Bale can. Even if we compare him to a loanee, Brahim Diaz, he does not have his fellow Spaniard’s pressing ability, skillful dribbling, or two-footed element of surprise.

The 25-year-old is what he is. Asensio has aspects of his game he’s excellent at, namely shooting and technique. But he is lacking in so many areas that are necessary for a Real Madrid winger, which is why he so often seems to shirk into the background.

It’s going to be tough for Real to sell him, and it’s absolutely fine if they end up deciding to keep him. There’s nothing wrong with having Asensio as a part of the squad, because he is not, as some may say, a useless player.

He is, however, too flawed to be a starter. If Real head into the 2021-2022 season with Asensio as a starter, they will suffer accordingly. We have already seen how this played out in 2020-2021, and Los Blancos should not make the same mistake twice. He is not a starting right winger for this team, and he should not have to be subjected to the kind of pressure that he never seemed to want in the first place. Let him have his role, but find someone else to take on the mantle of this incredibly difficult task.