The 2024/25 season has been perhaps the wildest I am yet to witness. Left on their own by the club, and seemingly destined for a catastrophic relegation to the fourth division. The team were in the relegation zone for the first 18 games, and had one of the worst season starts on record. Looking at the team on paper, it was not difficult to see why. Raúl was in desperate need of a goal scorer, some quality in the middle and an entire defence at the half-way point of the season, with no reinforcements anywhere in sight. In the end, in order to spare a disaster for the club, Raúl González took his already impressive coaching proficiencies to a new level, and followed the unwritten mantra: “if you can’t buy them, make them”. I sit here now after the 4-1 thrashing of Fuenlabrada during game week 37, having just witnessed a real team play, with some genuine quality that can spring them back to the standard’s that us fans have become accustomed to. It got to a stage where Castilla even flirted with promotion, without ever truly convincing anyone that they were ready to take the leap into the play-offs. They were given no help, no signings, and were forced to rely purely on raw academy talent and the genius of one underappreciated man. Join me as we take a complete look back at the story of Castilla’s 2024/25 campaign - from the results, to the regressions and the revelations.
Real Madrid Castilla v Real Murcia - Primera RFEF Castilla in the mud?
Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images
Manager Review: Raúl González
At this point, it’s no longer about what Raúl can do with Castilla - it’s about what he’s being asked to do and how many miracles he can perform. For the second consecutive season, the club made no external signings. No stopgaps. No senior reinforcements. Just another influx of untested, often underwhelming academy players. For context, I and many others predicted the team to finish 17th and go down, and was praying for survival at 16th place. The fact that Castilla finished 6th is perhaps the clearest endorsement of Raúl’s quiet resilience in the dugout. Tactically, this wasn’t a season of reinvention. Raúl stuck largely to a base of three centre-backs with two wing-backs, with the occasional shift to a back four. His setups prioritised security to compensate for the lack of experience and quality - and transitional speed to coax out the quality that the team did possess, exploiting the new found finishing power of Gonzalo García. At times it worked. Castilla were one of the more exciting counter-attacking sides in the division, but against low blocks or in high-stakes moments the tactical rigidity and lack of creativity in midfield often saw the team stall. A proven overachiever with a strong record of development - this has not been enough for unobservant fans and even reporters, and a peculiar narrative has surrounded the man who has reached two play-offs (three, if not for COVID-19), and saved the team from certain downfall, completing five successful campaign’s out of six. Make no mistake, whilst six seasons with a development side is unacceptable for any aspiring coach, Raúl González is amongst the best we have seen at Castilla, and without him - this team would be preparing for the fourth division next season. He nurtured a record-breaking forward, managed a revolving door of youth prospects, and finished just shy of the play-offs - all while being handed less than anyone else before him. It is now again time for Raúl to leave to a top league, but thank goodness he stayed for one more season, and made it perhaps his best yet.
Manager rating: 9/10
Real Madrid Castilla v Real Murcia - Primera RFEF Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images
Squad Overview
When a club makes zero signings for the first time on record for two seasons in a row, for a team that has to constantly rebuild and regenerate talent by its very nature, things become less about quality and more about survival, growth and adaptability. Castilla’s 2024/25 roster wasn’t assembled with a promotion push in mind - it was a reflection of the academy’s current output, for better and worse. This season saw the usual mass introduction of new faces, many of whom would not have been near Castilla squads of previous years. The departures of reliable contributors like Nico Paz, Rafa Obrador, and Vinícius Tobías, and injuries to several key players during the summer left an obvious void in leadership and quality. For most of the season, it showed. Castilla looked a million miles away from the third division for half a season, and even after the unimaginable improvement, often lacked experience, physicality and tactical maturity in key areas of the pitch. But within the chaos, a few foundations were laid. At the back, the defence fluctuated between bad, and makeshift. Chema Andrés was at times the entire midfield in one. And then there was Gonzalo García. Whilst the return of Jacobo Ramón, Manuel Ángel, Jeremy de León and César Palacios (just) provided a huge boost, there were no saviours parachuted in. This was Castilla in its purest, most vulnerable form, and they survived. More than that, they evolved. In honour of Raúl and his team, I am adding an additional “Have they improved?” score to highlight the sheer scale of progression shown by many of this squad, and the harsh reality for those who stagnated or failed to rise to the challenge.
Fran González (Goalkeeper)
Appearances: 19 Clean Sheets: 5
Have they improved?: Yes Season Rating: 6.5/10
ran may have had a nightmare debut, but he’s since made the number one spot his own. Castilla have long struggled in the goalkeeper department, with a dire record of producing senior-level talent in this position dating back to the early 2010s. While Fran may not necessarily be the one to break that trend, he’s shown enough promise to justify holding the starting Castilla gloves for the foreseeable future. His development was rewarded with a La Liga debut against Valencia, along with many first-team matchday call-ups - a deserved recognition of his growth.
Fran González, Jacobo Ramón, Cristian David, Chema Andrés and Pol Fortuny have been called up with Spain U-20 for a training camp from 26 to 28 May, as part of preparations for the World Cup taking place from 27 September to 19 October. pic.twitter.com/Idd52WVFLB
— Real Madrid Fabrica (@FabricaMadrid) May 20, 2025
Mario de Luis (Goalkeeper)
Appearances: 11 Clean Sheets: 4
Have they improved?: No Season Rating: 6.5/10
It is a near-impossible task for the banished to be seen again at Real Madrid. It is not a forgiving environment. So when Mario de Luis lined up for Castilla after being forcefully side-lined for months, you can imagine my surprise. Not only did he somehow manage to get back on the pitch - he arguably delivered the best performances of any of Castilla’s three goalkeepers once he had the gloves back on. He nearly matched Fran’s clean sheet tally in eight fewer games, which says plenty about his quality. He won’t be here next season, but he bowed out with quiet distinction.
Diego Piñeiro (Goalkeeper)
Appearances: 8 Clean Sheets: 3
Have they improved?: No Season Rating: 6/10
He looked steady enough when called upon — which, frankly, is more than can be said for many third-choice Castilla goalkeepers in recent years. But he was clearly behind Fran and Mario in the pecking order, and rightly so. At 21, it’s hard to see what’s next for him. Will he still be here next season? I wouldn’t bet on it.
Lorenzo Aguado (Right-back)
Appearances: 23 Goals: 1 Assists: 1
Have they improved?: No Season Rating: 5.5/10
Aguado has shown flashes of quality during his Castilla tenure, but he’s never looked more than an average player. This season presented a golden opportunity to claim the starting right-back spot after the squad lost significant depth, but he failed to capitalise. In his defence, he was often pulled out of position and used as a right centre-back in Raúl’s back five, but even so, his performances rarely rose above functional. The emergence of David Jiménez and Aguado’s own inconsistency led to him barely featuring by the season’s end.
His silver lining? A first-team debut in the Copa del Rey - and a solid one at that. This led to two further La Liga appearances during Dani Carvajal’s extended absence, with no natural deputy available. At 22, Aguado will depart Castilla this summer. He is, realistically, a third division player - but the Real Madrid badge, and those three senior appearances, might just carry him higher.
David Jiménez (Right-back)
Appearances: 37 Goals: 3 Assists: 5
Have they improved?: Heavily Season Rating: 7/10
I debated a 6.5 - because he hasn’t been breath-taking by any stretch, but his progress this year was entirely unexpected. Looking at the squad last summer, there was very little quality on show, and David Jiménez was one of the prime suspects in the apparent drop in standards. A technically gifted player, he lacked just about everything else, and began life at Castilla barely scraping fourth division level. Fast forward to the end of the season, under Raúl’s guidance, he has deservedly become Castilla’s starting right-back. His return of 3 goals and 5 assists is very good, and his all-round game has grown remarkably. Not only has he surpassed fourth division standard - he should be looking towards that second division in the near future. David may stay, but the superior Jesús Fortea is now Castilla bound...
Raúl Asencio (Centre-back)
Appearances: 11 Goals: 0 Assists: 0 Castilla Season Rating: 2.5/10
Have they improved?: Immeasurably Season Rating: 10/10
I’m not really sure what to say about Raúl Asencio, because I’ve never seen a season quite like his. Let’s be clear: for Castilla, he was not very good. At all. In fact, he was among the worst performers early on. The first few months were a low point, where aside from a couple of solid showings, Asencio was exposed at third division level week after week. Despite leading the back five, his positioning was erratic, he was flat-footed far too often, and consistently caught out, being routinely beaten by players of third division quality. His attitude, at times, was equally unconvincing. Then, everything changed. And I mean everything. A wave of first team injuries (and massive Castilla injury list, including his competition for first team opportunities) left Real Madrid desperately short of centre-backs. Suddenly, Raúl gained the best chance I have ever seen at Real Madrid, extended opportunities with the first team with next to no other options available for the club. To his immense credit, and my utter disbelief, he didn’t just take the chance - he ran with it. The clumsy Castilla centre-back became the dependable Real Madrid first team centre-back in the space of a few days.
Yes, there were still cracks: rash challenges, positional lapses, and questionable moments on and off the pitch. But those flaws were visible every week at Castilla. The difference? Asencio started cutting them out. He didn’t just rise to the level, he completely transformed himself as a player. Even his previously questionable attitude began to be reinterpreted as supreme self-confidence - the kind that only comes from someone who knew they were good enough, even when no one else did. From fourth-division standard to a consistent La Liga performer. Incredible. Raúl (the manager) deserves some credit. So does Carlo Ancelotti. So does the club, and pretty much everyone else within it. But the majority of the applause belongs to Asencio himself. He took control of his trajectory, worked relentlessly and rewrote his own career in a matter of months. He even made his senior international debut for Spain in the process. That is how good he has been. Because his impact was so contrasting across Castilla and the first team, I’ve introduced two separate scores - a reflection of a dual life few players ever experience. While incidents away from the pitch have stained his first year in the spotlight, and I may always carry doubts about his long-term future at this club, there’s no escaping the truth - Raúl Asencio has just delivered a 10/10 season.
Whilst Rafa Llorente was a talented player, when he was at Castilla he wasn’t considered good enough to get even one single game
Here he is playing like prime Ronaldo, making the current group look like amateurs
Standards have dropped embarrassingly low at Castilla/La Fábrica https://t.co/qLkC7wJgyH
— Real Madrid Castilla Stats (@CastillaStats) October 21, 2024
Jacobo Ramón (Centre-back)
Appearances: 15 Goals: 4 Assists: 0
Have they improved?: Heavily Season Rating: 8.5/10
Jacobo Ramón had never particularly impressed for Castilla before - but then again, he had barely played any games due to constant injuries halting his progress. His development had been constantly disrupted, and this season began in familiar fashion: more than three months out with a muscular problem. When he finally returned, Castilla were languishing near the bottom of the table. Much like Raúl Asencio with the first team, Jacobo was suddenly presented with a golden opportunity to put his past behind him and step up as a leader. And also like Asencio, he took the chance with both hands. He was huge for Castilla. Physically, his bulky frame brought much-needed grit and presence to a squad that was desperately short on professional-level physicality. On the ball, he was brave — often stepping forward to break lines and initiate attacks. He even became a genuine threat in the opposition box, scoring four goals and finishing as Castilla’s fourth top scorer despite playing just half a season.
His low point (excluding injury)? Bizarrely, with the first team. His strong Castilla performances gained him an opportunity La Liga against Celta Vigo off the bench - and he had a shocker. But the biggest shocker came from the reaction by some so called “fans”: Jacobo was crucified by reactionary fans who had no understanding of the youth structure or its players. Thankfully, Carlo Ancelotti does. Jacobo went on to make five first-team appearances, even scoring the winner against Mallorca with a well-timed header. He’s far from the most gifted centre-back to come through Castilla, but this season, he became a genuine leader. I hope he stays - but I suspect he could hold his own at a La Liga club before long.
Edgar Pujol (Centre-back)
Appearances: 23 Goals: 0 Assists: 1
Have they improved?: No Season Rating: 5/10
Of Castilla’s centre-backs, Edgar Pujol was probably the last one carrying any real hype heading into the season - unlike Asencio and Ramón (all three underperformed up until this season), Pujol remains stuck in that category. He’s not a bad player by any means, and the Dominican Republic international has shown glimpses of the ability that once made him a prospect worth watching. But glimpses are all they’ve been. His performances have lacked consistency, composure, and real presence - qualities you expect from a 20-year-old centre-back trying to break through at this level. There’s still time for him to turn it around, but if the club chose to part ways this summer, it would be hard to argue against it.
Mario Rivas (Centre-back)
Appearances: 30 Goals: 0 Assists: 2
Have they improved?: Yes Season Rating: 6.5/10
I wasn’t particularly sold on Mario Rivas at the start of the campaign, but he had one big factor working in his favour - youth (even at Castilla). Most players arrive at Castilla at 19 and leave by 21. Rivas was promoted at just 17, which suggests there’s something special in him. And slowly, over time, that something started to show. He grew into the season, adapting to the physicality and pace of the division, and by the end, he had earned a regular starting spot - whether by merit, necessity, or a bit of both. At just 18, he’ll still be ahead of schedule next season, and should be sure starter by merit alone.
Kike Ribes (Centre-back)
Appearances: 29 Goals: 2 Assists: 0
Have they improved?: A bit Season Rating: 6/10
Kike Ribes was one of several players who, early in the season, seemed to represent the worrying drop in standards across the squad. While he ended up having a better campaign than I expected, I’m still not at all convinced. He contributed steadily and didn’t look out of place much of the time, but there were few performances that truly stood out - and his ceiling remains relatively low. It appears the club may feel similarly, as he looks likely to move on this summer. I’d be surprised if he ends up playing above this level.
David Cuenca (Centre-back)
Appearances: 5 Goals: 0 Assists: 0
Have they improved?: No Season Rating: 3/10
While a fair few players exceeded expectations at times this season, David Cuenca was as poor as predicted. Despite being part of the squad from the start, he made just five appearances and quickly found himself at the bottom of the pecking order - behind C-team players and academy prospects. At 23, he’s simply not good enough for Real Madrid. He’ll do well to remain in the third division next season.
Víctor Valdepeñas (Centre-back)
Appearances: 14 Goals: 1 Assists: 0
Have they improved?: Yes Season Rating: 6.5/10
Valdepeñas is one of the youth prospects who has risen quickly through the ranks - and based on what we’ve seen, I want to see much more of him. Confident, composed, and clearly coachable, he’s the kind of player who could help raise the standards of Castilla’s back line next season. He’s already been linked with clubs like Arsenal, but I suspect he’ll stay put for now and continue his upward trajectory in Madrid. One to watch closely.
Diego Aguado (Centre-back)
Appearances: 2 Goals: 0 Assists: 0
Have they improved?: Yes Season Rating: N/A
Another player I’d like to see promoted. Diego didn’t feature enough to earn a proper season rating, but he’s clearly got the talent to improve next year’s Castilla squad. Remarkably, he’s almost matched his Castilla appearances with first-team action - making his senior debut for Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey at the start of 2025. A quiet name for now, but a very intriguing one.
Youssef Enríquez (Left-back)
Appearances: 35 Goals: 1 Assists: 3
Have they improved?: Yes Season Rating: 7/10
Replacing fan-favourite Rafa Obrador was never going to be easy, but Youssef Enríquez has done a commendable job. The Moroccan full-back showed his quality consistently throughout the season, even during Castilla’s darkest stretches. His goal might have had a touch of fortune about it, pardon the pun, but he earned that luck with a ridiculous touch and good awareness in the box. He’s also been regularly involved in first-team training sessions and made several matchday squads, though his official debut is still pending. Another strong year like this, and that debut will come.
David Ruiz (Left-back)
Appearances: 18 Goals: 0 Assists: 0
Have they improved?: No Season Rating: 4/10
Another player I’ll be happy to see the back of. When you pause to read through the list of players Raúl had to work with this season, it’s nothing short of a miracle that Castilla even survived - yet alone finished in the top half of the table. There isn’t much to say about Ruiz’s performances. He offered very little, didn’t improve, and made no lasting impression. His exit won’t raise eyebrows - and realistically, a move to the fourth division may already be on the cards.
Chema Andrés (Centre-Midfield)
Appearances: 32 Goals: 0 Assists: 3
Have they improved?: A lot Season Rating: 8.5/10
At one point, before Gonzalo García turned up, and Jacobo Ramon returned from injury - this guy was all we had. A forward-thinking defensive midfielder who can do a bit of everything to a very high standard - this has been an exceptional first professional season for Chema Andrés. He’s already surpassed the Castilla tenures of Mario Martín and Antonio Blanco before him. When Castilla were losing every game, he never hid. He dropped deep to collect the ball, drove forward to make things happen, and was always available to sweep up if it came back. He was the metronome, the balance, the presence - and frankly, the glue. The first half of the season was a clear 10/10. While there was a slight drop-off as the campaign wore on, it can largely be attributed to the return of other key players and the overall improvement of the team - which was, in no small part, thanks to Chema himself. He no longer had to be the wheels, the seats, the doors, and everything else. Now, we get to enjoy him just being the Rolls Royce engine. Three first-team appearances were a fitting reward for his efforts. La Liga should be the floor, not the ceiling, for this player.
Atletico de Madrid B v Real Madrid Castilla - Primera RFEF Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images
Manuel Ángel (Centre-Midfield)
Appearances: 17 Goals: 0 Assists: 1
Have they improved?: No Season Rating: 6.5/10
Probably my favourite player last season, the long-term injury to Manuel Ángel was a major blow to an already thin midfield (thank goodness for Chema Andrés). The tiny pplayer is technically the best player in the squad, and you could see his class immediately upon his long-awaited return in October. Unfortunately, that return was short-lived. Another setback during that very game ruled him out again, and although he made a full return in the new year, and deservedly slotted straight back into the line-up - he often struggled to hit his previous rhythm. The sharpness, flow, and creative control we saw last season is yet to quite return. He’ll be gutted by how this season played out, and rightly so. Without those injuries, there’s every chance he’d be looking at a top-tier move right now. He may still depart this summer, and few would blame him - but if he stays, I’d be over the moon to see him get back to his best in 2025/26.
Antonio David (Centre-Midfield)
Appearances: 27 Goals: 0 Assists: 0
Have they improved?: No Season Rating: 5/10
Plenty of appearances. No goals. No assists. No notes. Antonio David is another player who falls short of the level expected at this club. In previous years, he would’ve been nowhere near a Castilla squad - but this was not a normal year. Injuries opened the door, and to his credit, he was available when needed. But even with all that game time, he left little impact. He’s likely to remain next season, probably as a backup - but his ceiling, with a strong push, is the second division. And even that might be a stretch too far.
Cristian Perea (Centre-Midfield)
Appearances: 4 Goals: 0 Assists: 1
Have they improved?: No Season Rating: 6/10
The highly rated Cristian Perea wasn’t able to escape the C-team setup this year. While perhaps a little overhyped in some circles, he still has more natural ability than several midfielders who featured regularly for Castilla. He made just four appearances but showed flashes of promise - including a well-timed assist for Gonzalo García against Intercity. I’d like to see him promoted to Castilla full-time next season. He’s got something.
Borja Alonso (Centre-Midfield)
Appearances: 17 Goals: 0 Assists: 4
Have they improved?: Yes Season Rating: 6/10
A player that reminds me of Enzo Zidane in both good ways and bad - Borja Alonso is unlikely to be around next season, but he ended up creating his fair share of chances, and did take some large strides whilst on the pitch with Castilla. I don’t think there’s much more potential there beyond a third division level, but he gave a solid account of himself this year. He’ll leave with his head held high.
Cesar Palacios (Attacking Midfield)
Appearances: 4 Goals: 0 Assists: 0
Have they improved?: No Season Rating: N/A
One of the most frustrating injuries in a season full of them, César Palacios barely featured - and Castilla missed him badly. I had high hopes that he’d step up in the absence of Nico Paz and take on the creative burden this season, but injury made that impossible. That said, the talent’s still there. His late-season cameos, including a superb free-kick that struck the post on the final day, was a small reminder of what he can offer. I hope he stays for one more season. He deserves a proper run in that number ten shirt.
Pol Fortuny (Attacking Midfield)
Appearances: 31 Goals: 1 Assists: 8
Have they improved?: Yes Season Rating: 6.5/10
I’m still not fully sold on Pol Fortuny, one of the more popular names from the academy. That said, you can’t argue with numbers - eight assists in your first senior season is a huge return. Technically, he’s tidy without being especially exciting. Physically, he has a long way to go. But his vision and final ball speak for themselves. If he stays, and I think he will, it’ll be fascinating to see who claims the offensive spot between him and César Palacios by the end of next season.
Gonzalo García (Winger)
Appearances: 36 Goals: 25 Assists: 4
Have they improved?: Astonishingly Season Rating: 10/10
Gonzalo García was fine. He’d done well in the academy and looked solid enough for Castilla, managing five goals last season. Everything pointed to a respectable career in the second division. Steady, unspectacular, dependable. This season, everything changed. This season, the 20-year-old forward produced one of the most prolific campaigns in Castilla history, equalling Mariano Díaz’s best effort of 25 league goals. For a while, he looked certain to break the record and become the first Castilla player in history to join the 30-goal club. His movement, finishing, and sheer determination transformed what had looked like a toothless frontline into one of the most dangerous in the division. He was everything, and everywhere for Castilla - operating wherever the team needed him.
Gonzalo García is single handedly taking the relegation fight face on for Castilla this season. 12 goals now already. La Liga bound? pic.twitter.com/nSJH6maiXe
— Real Madrid Castilla Stats (@CastillaStats) November 30, 2024
Without his contributions, Castilla wouldn’t have flirted with survival, let alone the play-offs. Gonzalo García didn’t just lead the front line - he carried the team through the season. His heroics extended beyond the third tier. He capped off this all-timer campaign with a winning goal in the Copa del Rey when Madrid looked headed for embarrassment, and later registered a La Liga assist for Jude Bellingham against Sevilla. Four strong appearances added to his unbelievable season for the first team will be enough to push him to La Liga for a very good fee, but might we see him in the famous white shirt at the Santiago Bernabéu next season? It’s no longer just a hopeful question, but a real possibility. Gonzalo García is the Real Madrid Castilla player of the season for 2024/25!
Jeremy de León (Winger)
Appearances: 4 Goals: 0 Assists: 0
Have they improved?: Maybe even regressed Season Rating: 2/10
Probably the weirdest case I have witnessed in football. I say this because Jeremy’s Real Madrid tenure could not have gone better, but it also could not have gone worse for him. The Puerto Rican international has gained significant fame, some big name friends, and a surprising level of first-team exposure, all without actually doing anything at all. His mere presence became a sort of superstitious phenomenon, and social media ate it right up, eventually doing all of the talking for him, and taking him to heights some could only dream of. Jeremy was maybe the world’s first social media influencer professional player. TikTok-fuelled myths and Instagram stardom may be doing it off of the pitch for him, but on the pitch? Four appearances, no goals, no assists, 37 minutes all season. Injuries certainly played their part, but the harsh truth is Jeremy was never a regular, or even a serious option for Castilla. Upon arrival he looked far more talented than Víctor Muñoz, and whilst I have criticised Raúl for not giving Jeremy more of a chance when fit, he is now in a position where he’s not even close to lacing Víctor’s boots. To make matters worse, he no longer seems to be Puerto Rico’s crown jewel either, with Leandro Antonetti stealing that spotlight with an historic La Liga debut for Sevilla. I still hope Jeremy stays, starts, and proves himself. But truthfully, it feels like the club may be preparing to move on. Twelve appearances later, it’s like it never happened at all. What a strange story.
Víctor Muñoz (Winger)
Appearances: 34 Goals: 11 Assists: 7
Have they improved?: Unthinkably Season Rating: 9/10
Víctor Muñoz entered the season as a one-dimensional winger, entirely reliant on his electric pace. I wasn’t a fan. I didn’t look forward to watching him play. Fast forward twelve months, and he’s an exciting, complete attacker with a future in a higher division. This is one of Raúl’s biggest triumphs. Muñoz now boasts a strong eye for goal, a real creative spark and the technical and physical tools to match his raw speed. His improvement has been staggering. He even nearly salvaged something in El Clásico, making a brilliant run and narrowly missing a golden chance - which, predictably, triggered the worst kind of reaction from the bottom of the Madridista barrel. The abuse he received on social media was appalling, forcing him to disable comments on Instagram. If fans want more Raúl Asencio’s, then they simply have to change. Two first-team appearances were a just reward for his progress, including the big game against Barcelona. The only question left now is: where will he end up next season?
Hugo de Llanos (Winger)
Appearances: 16 Goals: 2 Assists: 1
Have they improved?: Yes Season Rating: 6.5/10
Hugo managed to impress me on multiple occasions, and with two or three key wingers likely to depart this summer, I hope he’s given a much bigger role next season. The statistics above were all achieved in the first half of the campaign, with opportunities becoming scarce in 2025. Even so, he kept himself sharp with a hat-trick for the C team in the division below coupled with a strong record in the UEFA Youth League. With a bit of trust from the coaching staff, and a clean run of form, we could be looking at the next Víctor Muñoz or Gonzalo García.
Andrés Campos (Winger)
Appearances: 17 Goals: 0 Assists: 1
Have they improved?: No Season Rating: 5/10
A technically gifted winger, but one who remains slightly positionally confused. At times, Campos looked fantastic. At others, he disappeared for entire matches. Inconsistency has been the theme. At 23, his time at Castilla has run out. And truthfully, I doubt we’ll be seeing him pop up in the ‘Castilla Curse’ montage against the first team anytime soon...
Daniel Yáñez (Winger)
Appearances: 13 Goals: 1 Assists: 0
Have they improved?: ? Season Rating: 6.5/10
Another highly rated academy product who hasn’t quite justified the early plaudits, at least not yet. Daniel Yáñez looks the part, and he’s set for full-time Castilla promotion next season, but he’s still yet to produce the senior-level numbers that will soon be expected of him. Watch this space.
Loren Zúñiga (Striker)
Appearances: 27 Goals: 5 Assists: 2
Have they improved?: No Season Rating: 6.5/10
I had high expectations for Loren Zúñiga at the start of the campaign (and when he joined the club), but predicted him to score a modest six goals, and to be the team’s top goal scorer. He was once the golden boy of the Málaga academy, and the Spanish youth teams - and looked like he was destined for La Liga. It all went wrong (both for Loren and Málaga), and he ended up joining Real Madrid, and frustratingly being placed into the C team. The fifth division was a walk in the park for him, and his pre-season with Castilla was electric, sparking real excitement among fans. He was the only natural striker in the squad, and looked poised for a season of redemption. He did end up scoring five goals for Castilla, just short of my prediction, but he finished as the teams third top scorer. That number hides a more uneven story: just one goal by mid-March, followed by a loss of form and place in the team, before finally finding rhythm as the season began to wind down. Technically, he is superb, and at times looked more of a wide player than the actual winger Gonzalo García (who often looked like the perfect striker). Despite now being 22, I don’t see much promise in the current crop of C team/academy strikers incoming. And with Loren finally picking up some professional momentum, I’d actually like to see him stay, and start next season.. Whether that will happen remains to be seen.
Real Madrid Castilla v Real Murcia - Primera RFEF Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images
Bruno Iglesias, Baba Diocou, Jacobo Ortega, Manuel Serrano and Ángel Caravajal also featured for Castilla this season, but none played enough to merit individual analysis or a season score. We may see some of them for Castilla full-time next season.
Statistical Round-up
Real Madrid Castilla finished 6th in Primera Federación Group Two, with a final record of:
W: 12
D: 18
L: 8
Goals Scored: 58 (most in the league)
Goals Conceded: 36
Goal Difference: +22 (best in the league)
Points: 54
Despite missing out on the play-offs by just four points, Castilla never looked like serious contenders to reach them, a fact that reflects how late their revival came. However, it is important to remember that the play-offs were never the realistic aim. The top half of the table was never the realistic aim. Comfortably surviving was never the realistic aim. Survival by any means necessary was the objective, and in all honesty it was more of a desperate hope going into the season. The fact that at the half-way point, this did not look achievable, and the team went on to become the top scorers, and finish in sixth is unfathomable. The team lacked experience and quality, and were riddled with injuries and first team absences - so with just a shoe-string to work with, Raúl the engineer gave them structure and identity, allowing the team to rise from those depths, and make something remarkable happen. Led by a breakout star in Gonzalo García and anchored by players like Chema Andrés, Jacobo Ramón, and Víctor Muñoz, Castilla clawed their way back into professional football, and then beyond. They didn’t just end up surviving. They outscored everyone. They held the best goal difference in the league. At times, they played the best football in the league. While they ultimately came up short of the top five, the climb itself was worthy of celebration.
The Primera Federación Group Two Table
Final Thoughts Ahead of 2025/26
This season was supposed to be a disaster. No reinforcements. No experience. Just a group of raw academy players and a coach left to piece it all together with chewing gum and spirit. But Castilla didn’t fall apart. They evolved, and revived themselves. This was a thin, raw group that punched well above its weight. They were carried through by Raúl’s guidance and genius, by unexpected individual leaps, and by a record-breaking forward who turned games on his own. The fact they made it to 6th place, just four points off the play-offs, is nothing short of remarkable. But now what? Raúl González is now surely set to leave, rather than staying for a seventh year. If he goes, it will undoubtably be Álvaro Arbeloa coming in to replace him from Juvenil A - a talented coach with little ambition. Many of the best players from this season will fly the nest during the summer, leaving a number of key questions to answer heading into 2025/26:
Will this revival be temporary, or a new foundation to grow from?
Will Castilla finally receive reinforcements from outside the club? Or will it be another year of sink-or-swim for academy hopefuls?
Can breakout stars like Gonzalo García and Víctor Muñoz be replaced if (or when) they move on?
Are the academy reinforcements finally going to genuinely improve the team?
What will Álvaro Arbeloa really be like as a Castilla manager?
Whoever takes charge of the squad next season, whether it’s Arbeloa or not, will inherit a platform. A gritty, hard-earned one. But next time, Castilla must build from the top half of the table. Not climb out from its depths. I will leave you with some key statistics below:
Top Scorer: Gonzalo García (25)
Top Assister: Pol Fortuny (8)
Most Clean Sheets: Fran González (5)
Most Appearances: Gonzalo García (36)
Most Minutes: Gonzalo García (3184)
Player of the Season: Gonzalo García
Castilla Season Verdict: Success!