Real Madrid’s Alvaro Carreras has been one of the standout performers under Xabi Alonso this season.
The 22-year-old left-back has not only impressed with his consistency but has also demonstrated maturity beyond his years, especially in high-pressure fixtures.
His disciplined display against Barcelona in El Clasico, where he effectively nullified the threat of Lamine Yamal, showed just how far he has come.
And to top it off, he recently scored his first Real Madrid goal against Valencia, further strengthening his case for a maiden call-up to the Spanish national team.
However, Carreras faces a tough challenge in his quest to break into Luis de la Fuente’s side.
This is because the left-back position is already stacked with world-class options such as Marc Cucurella and Alejandro Grimaldo.
Realistically, De la Fuente may not take three full-backs, which means including Carreras would likely come at the expense of one of those two.
Assessing the options
Statistically, though, the Real Madrid defender is giving the national coach something to think about.
Alvaro Carreras, Real Madrid player
Alvaro Carreras has been fantastic for Real Madrid this season. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
This season, Carreras leads both Cucurella and Grimaldo in several distribution metrics, as he averages 54.76 passes per game and 7.74 passes into the final third.
Offensively, however, Grimaldo remains the unassailable leader because he dominates in almost every attacking area.
Yet when comparing Carreras directly to Cucurella, the Real Madrid man edges ahead in several categories.
Carreras outperforms the Chelsea defender in ball progressions (1.76 to 0.59), dribbles (0.77 to 0.08), and offensive duels (1.83 to 1.01).
Defensively, Cucurella leads the charts in duels won, clearances, and shot blocks.
Still, Carreras makes more recoveries than either rival, averaging an impressive 9.36 per game, compared to Cucurella’s 7.39 and Grimaldo’s 6.81.
In essence, each player has his strengths, as Carreras excels in distribution, Grimaldo dominates offensively, and Cucurella shines defensively.
But Carreras’ balance between passing precision, defensive work rate, and offensive drive could make him the most complete option and a serious contender for Spain’s next left-back spot.
Source: AS