Real Madrid have had a few great performers over the course of this current Club World Cup.
Not only have existing good players picked up on their form, but some outcasts have also started playing well under new manager Xabi Alonso.
That is obviously not the case for every single Real Madrid player, but it is good that they have some players performing better with a new coach.
There is one special example of the former, however. Real Madrid have had Antonio Rudiger as a star starter for the majority of the last three seasons. However, he is now showing signs of wear and tear.
Rudiger was awful against Juventus in a three-at-the-back formation, and we get it, it is his second game back after surgery so it will take time for him to be at his best again, but his slow downfall started a few months prior. Let's break down how.
There has been a lot of discussion online about Real Madrid fans genuinely considering a Rudiger transfer that could get the club some money.
Rudiger's contract runs till 2026, which would mean a sale this summer would be big for them. It is not being reported by anyone, but fans are wondering whether this is the right time to sell, just before his decline is more apparent.
It may be the last time they could cash in on Rudiger, and it could give Real Madrid a lot to think about, especially around whether they should actually offer the German a renewal.
Real Madrid needed a new centre-back last season
Ever since that game against Erling Haaland in 2023, Rudiger has only gotten more and more prominent.
It became extreme, however, as Rudiger started playing too much football, which is not fit for anyone. Rudiger had good performances, but was heavily overworked.
Then, this season was at an all-time high; an extreme. Rudiger played so many games this season because Real Madrid could not sign a centre-back in the transfer window, that his form and level also regressed heavily over the course of the season.
He was still good, but he started declining, and obviously, playing through injuries will have a huge impact on that as well.
This could only point the blame to Real Madrid. I guess you can say Carlo Ancelotti could have trusted an academy player while Rudiger rested, but it is obvious that Ancelotti wants to have good players for Real Madrid's big games.
If Huijsen was a Real Madrid player last season - or anyone else that was available - Rudiger would have had to play less minutes, and in doing so, Real Madrid could have had a better version of Rudiger in the biggest games, and they also could have had his prime prolonged a little bit.
Even though they have made amends now, the blame still falls on them.