We saw some new names being added to the Real Madrid squad for various matches last season- Sergio Arribas, Victor Chust, Antonio Blanco, etc. We saw some great cameos from all of them. Young as they were, we didn’t expect much from them. But to our surprise, they were all really great. Blanco earned himself a maiden Spain call. Arribas further went on to do wonders for the Castilla team and of course, Chust being the captain is the leader in making. But, let’s focus on Miguel Gutierrez for now. I believe that he rightly deserves to be called up to play for the first team irrespective of what happens to Marcelo, and here’s why:
1. Amazing Cameo:
Right from his debut against Cadiz when he came on as a substitute, we saw some first-team sparks in him. He was fast, looked sharp, and was really threatening in attack. He has a few great crosses into the box and of course, that assist to Luka was an absolute beauty.
His pressing play helped Real a lot in the attack. His few promising performances against Cadiz, Osasuna, and Sevilla earned him a start against Granada over Marcelo. Since he didn’t let down Zidane in his first start, he went up the pecking order for Zidane and was hence given chances in the remaining two matches against Athletic Club and Villareal.
Given how well he has managed to play for both Castilla and the First Team, I believe that Ancelotti wouldn’t mind giving Miguel chances in the first team. Moreover, there’s a pretty much of a possibility that Ancelotti would prefer him over Marcelo to backup Mendy as he is appointed for Madrid’s rebuild.
2. Declining Marcelo:
Miguel’s cameo wasn’t the only reason that made us fall in love with him. There was something in him, something that made us think that he would be Real Madrid’s future.
It was the way he played- his crosses, pressing, pace, and attacking threat. It was bringing back some good old memories. It was telling us that we have got another Marcelo. Yes, I’m comparing him to Marcelo, the Real Madrid legend and there’s a reason for me to do this.
When Marcelo arrived in Madrid, he was more or less the same as Miguel. An inexperienced defender who offered an attacking threat. It was what made him so special because he was one of a kind and because he was a rightful heir of Roberto Carlos, as admitted by Carlos himself.
But why Miguel is turning out like Marcelo isn’t just because he is gifted or he is just good enough. No. It is also because Marcelo has been mentoring him, as revealed by his recent comments. Marcelo has been giving him tips to improve his gameplay and be the player that deserves to wear a Real Madrid jersey. So, maybe he is ready to replace Marcelo as I can infer.
3. Perfect Back-up:
Mendy offered a lot on the left flank, both defensively and offensively. So, Zidane and Real started to rely on him. It was all going great.
But, ever since Mendy got injured, we’ve seen how much Real has suffered. We were all dependent on him. We had a backup for him as Marcelo. But he wasn’t too good.
There were three reasons for it. Firstly, Zidane preferred Mendy due to which he couldn’t get much game time. So, we can say he wouldn’t have been that sharp. Secondly, his pace was an issue. He was no longer the same old pacey Marcelo. Might be because of him getting old. Thirdly, Zidane had started using Marcelo as an attacking substitute given his impressive attacking qualities. So, Marcelo hasn’t played many defensive roles in matches and was often out of position, amounting to him struggling defensively.
So, I think it is time to bring Miguel on as a replacement for Marcelo. This way Mendy will get some rest and Real will not have to feel much of his absence as they did last season under Zidane. Let’s hope that we get to see more of Miguel next season and see him blossom under Ancelotti to the player he can be.