Real Madrid's game against Al Hilal was an entertaining watch. The game gave rise to so many different opinions from fans on social media that it was both funny and enraging.
While some expected the team to play the most beautiful football ever after only a handful of training sessions under a new manager, others said that the team needed more departures than signings.
And reading all of this was, as I said, very entertaining. But amid all this noise, one peculiar observation went unnoticed.
Against Al Hilal, every outfield player from the first team who was part of the squad got some minutes, except one. And it’s not a name the fans were expecting, for justifiable reasons.
Real Madrid overlooked a midfielder who stood out last season
Dani Ceballos was one of the most important players last season. Well, until his injury, if you want to consider that too. But the point remains: his position and stature in the midfield were undisputed for as long as you think they were, and he was really the pivot around whom the ball progressed.
Ceballos has had a lot of ups and downs throughout his time at Los Blancos. Several loans, some of them successful and others not, and a lack of trust from managers. It was a rollercoaster, and last season seemed like the end of it all for the Spaniard.
He was being relied on, and he was delivering accordingly. But the snub against Al Hilal does not make a lot of sense.
Yes, it was the first game of the competition, but when all other outfield players got a chance to freshen up and get a feel for the new tournament, I don't understand what kept Xabi Alonso from giving some minutes to Ceballos as well.
This is not an overreaction but a genuine question. It is certain that Ceballos will get more minutes moving forward. However, what happens to his stature is unknown. He may or may not be as important as he was last season. And honestly, the time after his recovery wasn't the best for his case.