This has been yet another injury riddled season for Real Madrid and as a result the team has had to rely on a number of players to step up big time and fill the gaps left by those out injured. One player who has stepped up is Arda Guler, Arbeloa has been getting the best out of the Turkish international, with many not knowing just how good Guler has been this season.
As pointed out by theMadridZone on X, Guler currently leads La Liga in chances created with 63 as well as leading the Champions League in chance created with 30. The Turkish international also currently sits third in assists in La Liga with eight, just one behind Barcelona's Lamine Yamal and Getafe's Luis Milla.
Real Madrid 'magician' is having an incredible under the radar season
When Guler arrived at the club in the summer of 2023 at just 18-years-old, the midfielder arrived with high expectations on his shoulders. Real paid a fee to Fenerbahce that could reach up to €30 million resulting in many to expect instant results from the youngster. However, Guler got off to somewhat of a slow start to life at the Bernabeu.
Guler was never much of a regular under Carlo Ancelotti, with the manager prefering players like Luka Modric, Fede Valverde, and Eduardo Camavinga instead. The midfielder got more opportunities once Xabi Alonso came in, with the Spaniard aiming to make Guler a key part of his system. However Guler surprisingly struggled under Alonso as well, but he seems to have finall found his footing under Alvaro Arbeloa.
Guler has become one of the first names on the team sheet under Arbeloa, filling in for the injured Jude Bellingham and the Turkish international has made it hard for the Englishman to regain his place despite being back to fitness. Guler has bagged four goals and 13 assists across all competitions this season and has formed a strong midfield quartet with Thiago Pitarch, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Fede Valverde, making it hard to drop any of the midfielders to fit Bellingham back into the team.
After a slow first two years at the club, seeing Guler blossom into the player he is today is a sight all fans' eyes love to see. The Turkish international has shown he is one of the most criminally underrated midfielders in the world and is capable of performing at the very highest level with a coach who fully believes in the player.