Real Madrid: 3 hidden gems to watch out for this season
By Sudhir Salvi
ANTONIO BLANCO
Antonio Blanco made his breakthrough into the senior team last season after an impressive spell with the Castilla team. Even though Real Madrid will not register him as a first team member, the defensive midfielder is bound to get his opportunities to feature especially because of the praise he drew from within the club, let alone the fans, during his short stint last year.
He is not similar to Casemiro in any way, to be honest. Blanco does not have the physical presence as the Brazilian, nor is he willing to take as many risks as his counterpart in the engine room. However, the 21 year old is a brilliant option nonetheless for his ability of reading the game, putting in tackles with the highest of accuracies and most importantly, his composure on the ball.
While the Whites will hope for better luck on the fitness front this season after a very wicked end to last season in that regard, Blanco’s chances may come thick and strong in the Copa del Rey. The Merengues are likely to save their best players for the La Liga and Champions League, which bring in more prestige and revenue as well, so like other Castilla players, Blanco will feature in the cup.