Why Real Madrid fans should be excited about the signing of Sofie Svava

If you took a glance at the roster of Real Madrid Femenino, you’d notice that the team lacks a natural left-back. Yes, there’s Marta Corredera and there’s Olga Carmona. But the former is a right-back, while the latter is more of a winger. Think of Olga Carmona to be the Lucas Vázquez of Real’s left flank.

After a season and a half without a natural left-back, Real Madrid have (finally) signed left-back Sofie Svava of Denmark from German heavyweights VfL Wolfsburg Women. The 21-year-old is touted to have a highly bright future and is already one of the best full-backs in women’s football at the age of 21.

According to the ever-reliable Jasmina Schweimler, Svava has been signed for a fee of €150,000 with variables depending on her playing time.

She has signed a contract with Las Blancas until 2024, after VfL Women agreed to terminate her contract owing to the player’s request, as well as keeping in mind the financial situation of the club.

What makes Sofia Svava such a good signing for Real Madrid Femenino?

What I am going to say in the next few lines is going to sound somewhat like I am narrating something. Here goes. In Real Madrid’s reverse fixture against PSG Féminine, I couldn’t take my eyes off a player. She was running circles around every Real Madrid player that came her way. I saw her play for the first time that day and boy did she make my jaw drop every time she had the ball. She could do special things. The player I am talking about is Sakina Karchaoui, PSG Féminine’s left-back.

When I compared her to Olga Carmona – who has been operating as the first-choice left-back for Real Madrid – I realized how much the team lacks because of the absence of a natural left-back. Olga Carmona is indeed a very talented player, and very young too, but she doesn’t fit the profile of a full-back. She has pace, but her decision-making is questionable. She can pull off nutmegs, but she is also easy to dribble past or win duels against.

Sofie Svava is everything Olga Carmona or Marta Corredera lack – and much, much more. She’s a powerhouse, a bludgeoning force of destruction for both the opposition attackers and defenders. I can’t express how excited I am to see Svava take the pitch with the Real Madrid shirt on. And I am sure after reading this article, you are going to be as excited (if not more) to see her in action.

Sofie is a nightmare for opposition defences. Her quick feet allow her to create a separation between her and the opposition trying to vie for the ball with her. She has had a huge offensive impact whenever and wherever she has played. I’ll not say more. You’ll see how good she is.

Real Madrid needed to make a signing at left back

As far as her defensive capabilities are concerned, she’s a brick wall. Her physical strength helps her win most of her duels, and her earth-shattering pace allows her to track back and stop counters without much hassle. All in all, we’ve hit the jackpot with the signing of Sovie Svava. She’s an all-round package, and she’s only going to get better over time.

Real Madrid Femenino are not a bad team. Heck, they have overachieved in such a short time. But if they are to be contenders of the much-coveted UEFA Women’s Champions League, they need to reinforce the squad with the best players. Sofia Svava epitomizes the solution to such a requirement. Out of all the positions that needed to be bolstered, the left-back spot was the one in need of bolstering the most.

Her inclusion in the side will bring much-needed balance to the back four/five and will improve the defence by a country mile. And I can definitely foresee the Danish left-back making as good an impact on the team.

What makes Svava one of the best bits of business so far is that she has been signed mid-season, meaning she can help the club overcome the gap between them and the top four in the league. And how can we forget the monumental Supercopa and UWCL clashes against Barcelona Femení? I am optimistic that the Dane will make an instant impact in the Royal White of Real Madrid.

I am eager to see her play for our club. She’s an exciting player and definitely has the potential to be one of the players of her generation if she carries on on the same path. Real have landed a gem in Sofie Svava.