KYLIAN MBAPPE, ENDRICK? CAN ANYONE STOP REAL MADRID?
I would say that Mbappé is one of the best players in the world at this moment in time. Indeed, arguably, he is the best player in the world right now. Watch out! He is now playing for the best team in the world (Real Madrid) regarding the quality of their players and their finances too and for many other reasons. That they are the top team in the world is without doubt.
However, I believe Mbappé is not going to find it easy because the Spanish LaLiga is difficult. Here in Spain, it’s not just about how you play and understand football as a player. That’s not enough. He has come from the French league where PSG were sometimes winning Ligue 1 with 20 points of difference to the other teams. He was winning in France because he was the best player in the best team in France.
In Real Madrid, however, Mbappé has a lot of competition upfront within his own team these days: with players like Vinicius, Bellingham, Rodrygo. They are all in a position of privilege regarding playing for the top team in the universe. That said, I do think Mbappé will adapt because he is a spectacular player. He has everything as a player to succeed at Real Madrid. He has speed and skill. He is a great finisher and he can head too. However, it is not going to be easy for Mbappé as LaLiga is a really tough league for any player.
On top of that, the referees are being doubted and are under a lot of scrutiny and pressure in LaLiga. The referees are scared of making mistakes when Real Madrid or FC Barcelona play. Some people think the refs are in Real Madrid’s pocket given that they are current champions of LaLiga and the Champions league too and with all the prestige that entails and the club’s wealth and power too. Real Madrid’s badge is in question regarding the public. It’s the only country where there are doubts about the veracity of VAR too! All of this favouritism is an ‘advantage’ for Real Madrid but it can also be a ‘disadvantage’ for the players as it puts pressure on them to win everything and never lose.
Regarding the new Brazilian signing Endrick for Real Madrid, he is a classic centre forward. He is young and compact and powerful. He is a very interesting player and a great striker of the ball. Relative to appearances, he has scored plenty of goals in Brazil and for Brazil (coming up the ranks) and won trophies and prizes too.
However, Endrick is going to find it difficult to get minutes at Real Madrid competing with players like Rodrygo, Bellingham and Mbappé. That said, Endrick is a phenomenal player. I believe he could get to play more games for Real Madrid in the future but he needs to be patient and to be grounded and have the personality to wait his turn.
That he does have patience remains to be seen because his adaptation has not been ideal so far, from what I have read. That said, he does have seven Brazilian compatriots in the squad so he should be adapting quite soon. Indeed, Real Madrid had been lacking a proper centre forward… until they signed him. Naturally, Endrick has a lot of goalscoring potential. He needs to play matches to fulfill his potential though.
CAN WE NOW SERIOUSLY LIKEN THIS ERA IN REAL MADRID'S HISTORY TO THE TIME OF PUSKAS AND DI STEFANO?
The epoch of Di Stefano, Puskas and Gento at Real Madrid was spectacular. They dominated in Spain and in Europe too and were the team that began the great history of the club that we know today. The team of today can make their mark too but I don’t know that they have a players like Alfredo Di Stefano or Gento now.
Those were different times back then and the teams played less matches too. These days Real Madrid are playing something like 70 matches a season! That is probably the double of what Real Madrid played in Stefano’s time. Back then, to score 15 goals a season was a massive achievement for a striker. These days 15 to 19 goals a season is not really such an outstanding number for a top striker.
WHAT HAVE YOU MADE OF ATLETICO MADRID'S SUMMER MARKET?
I believe that this has been the best summer of signings for Diego Simeone in his 14 seasons as manager of Atlético Madrid. Signing the spectacular striker Alexander Sørloth from Villarreal makes him an ideal substitute for the departed Morata. Atlético Madrid had been lacking a replacement for Morata when he got injured during previous seasons. Correa was never a number 9.
Regarding Julián Álvarez, he is a great player and he has plenty of goals already for a young player. Julián Álvarez is truly a great forward and is uncomplicated both on and off the pitch, which is important for any top club. He is an honest player who is characterized for his humility and hard work and he will contribute a lot to the team. He’s not somebody who celebrates goals on his own or who has problems with the press.
Atlético Madrid have also signed Le Normand from Real Sociedad, a spectacular central defender. He is going to be great for their defence. I believe that Simeone’s Atlético Madrid have possibilities in LaLiga this season. The problem, last season, was that injuries affected the team’s progress.
ARE BARCELONA MAKING A MISTAKE SEEKING TO OFFLOAD VICTOR ROQUE?
Victor Roque is just nineteen years old. He arrived at a difficult time at Barcelona when Xavi could not find a way to dominate Real Madrid in LaLiga and they ended up losing a lot of points over the course of last season.
Roque played well, covering for injured players, but he was painted as a savior for the club, which is not fair given his young age and I feel Roque never really gained authority in the dressing room. Nor did Roque really take on the mantle of what it means to represent FC Barcelona, given his young age. You have to take into consideration that FC Barcelona are probably the second most important team in Europe!
As a Brazilian, Victor Roque has good ball skills and can play with both feet and move to the left and move to the right if needs be. More than ever, Roque has to be patient. The great players like Messi and Iniesta and Xavi have all gone. They had a truly great team back then. It’s a difficult time at FC Barcelona as there is less money now than before and their truly glorious epoch has passed. There’s still hope for Roque but it’s not going to be easy.
He has potential to grow at the club so long as they don’t loan him out. However, he is not the solution for their problems. That said, here’s hoping he can develop into the player in LaLiga and for FC Barcelona that he shown he can be in Brazil.
IS HANSI FLICK THE RIGHT COACH FOR BARCELONA?
I believe that Hansi Flick is a manager with personality and the capability to try and change the style of FC Barcelona football too. He is conscious that tiki-taka and slow football with 20 passes leading up to the goal is not what is needed. He’s here to bring things back to reality. He’s tough and secure about changing the dynamic. There is now an emphasis on pressing, the balls coming in from the wings and deep passing too.
As a German, he has the mental toughness to believe that he is in charge of the best club in the world and to get his players to believe that too. He knows that the club, the directors and the fans are very demanding but he is determined and clear about his objectives. Look at the match away to Valencia at Mestalla.
Valencia were winning but FC Barcelona quickly clawed their way back into the game beat Valencia and nearly half the Catalan team were young lads who normally don’t play in the first team!
WHAT CAN YOU TELL CHELSEA FANS ABOUT AARON ANSELMINO?
Regarding Aaron Anselmino, from what I have seen of him…he’s a spectacular player already and he is only nineteen years old! He is a very tall player who defends very well and is good in the air. He tends to play on the right as a central defender but he is good on the left too. He’s a winner as he is good with his feet and is superb in a one-on-one. I love that about him.
He’s not one to just boot the ball upfield. I saw him score a great goal from 30 yards away for Boca Juniors. What a goal! He is the sort of player who can play anywhere on the pitch really. For example, I think he could also make a great number 5, playing infront of the back four… given his ability and youth and vision. Potentially, he could be a player like Valverde who knows how to defend and get involved going forward in the midfield too…even though he is technically a defender.
Anselmino knows how to control the ball and control the state of the play. He’s back on loan at Boca Juniors for the moment. However, I believe he can fulfill his full potential at Chelsea, in the future, if he can adapt to living so far from his family…as he is still only young.
CAN YOU UNDERSTAND WHY REAL MADRID ARE SERIOUS ABOUT FRANCO MASTANTUONO?
Franco Mastantuono? We’re talking about a player with an unpronounceable surname! On top of that, the lad is only 17 years old. As a player, I would put him in the category of a number ‘10’, which is an attacker who operates in the spaces between central midfield and the front line. In Argentina we call this position ‘enganche’ and in English you would say ‘hook.’ Legendary players like Maradona and Mario Kempes played in this position.
Despite his age, Mastantuono is intelligent. This lad understands where to put the ball. He’s only 17 years old but he has great vision already. He makes difficult things easy. The manager has to get the full potential out of a player like this. He has a big future but he must be developed properly and they must not precipitate his sale and ruin his development. ‘River Plate’ are a team that like to play good football. If he does leave them in the future it needs to be a glorious end not via the “back door” in some sneaky winter transfer window.
He needs to enjoy his football in Argentina and continue developing and the manager can then work on his skills and technique. Franco Mastantuono has a great future if Real Madrid let him develop at River Plate… before perhaps buying him further down the line when he is ready and prepared.