Real Madrid have gotten off to an excellent start this season, much thanks to the steady defensive unit that has flourished under Xabi Alonso so far.
The central defensive combination of Eder Militao and Dean Huijsen has worked well. But equal credit should be given to Alvaro Carreras, a standout player for Los Blancos ever since he rejoined the club in the summer.
Xabi Alonso always had faith in Carreras
As reported by Defensa Central, signing Carreras last summer was a move Xabi Alonso demanded immediately upon his arrival.
Despite already having Fran García and Ferland Mendy in the squad, Alonso knew his system required a specific profile: a full-back who could drift inside, dribble, and get into scoring positions.
Alonso’s faith was absolute, even when Carreras raised doubts as a young player arriving from Benfica for a “big sum of money” without proven elite experience.
Alvaro Carreras, Real Madrid player
Alvaro Carreras has been one of the defensive generals for Xabi Alonso this season. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Time has proven the coach right. Carreras’s performance has even surpassed that of Huijsen, who has been under scrutiny and still shows signs of “footballing immaturity.”
This is a stark contrast to Carreras, who does practically everything right, makes few mistakes, and displays a key personality for success.
His importance is such that he barely rotates. He is the only outfield player to have played the full 90 minutes in six consecutive matches – a feat not even Kylian Mbappe has achieved.
Surprisingly, this form hasn’t earned a Spain call-up from Luis de la Fuente, but this is good news for Madrid. The snub means he will have 15 days to recover his strength during the international break.