Real Madrid ghost Jesus Vallejo is back!

If Jesús Vallejo had followed the path that seemed destined for him and that was promised to him by many observers when he signed for Real Madrid in 2015, just out of adolescence, he would probably be preparing to play the next World Cup with Spain. Arriving at the Bernabeu in the middle of the last decade with the status of an immense hope in his position and comparisons galore with players like Carles Puyol, he clearly will not have had the career that many predicted for him. His adventure in Madrid was even anecdotal, although long, punctuated by a few more or less successful loans to Granada, and it was with 35 matches in all competitions in five seasons as a member of the first team that he left the club last summer.

All this, under the backdrop of mockery, since many fans did not understand why he persisted in staying at Real Madrid when he was not playing, some even accusing him of being in a huge comfort zone, collecting his salaries without having to strain himself too much. It must be said that even when there were absences at the back, the team’s coaches preferred to reposition players like Tchouameni in central defense, or start young players, like Raul Asencio. A total disavowal that Jesús Vallejo was obviously living well, and his professionalism and his behavior were praised in Madrid, but at 28 years old, he wanted to feel like a football player again. Free party, and despite offers from first division clubs, he made a strong choice by signing up with Albacete, a rather modest formation in the Spanish second division.

A second youth in D2

“I arrive with the desire to enjoy football, without thinking about the past”he explained upon his arrival in the lands of Don Quixote, 260 kilometers southeast of Madrid. And for now, the bet has paid off. Last week, he even scored a decisive headed goal in the Copa del Rey, allowing his team to equalize against Celta (Liga) and subsequently qualify for the round of 16 of the competition. A magical evening for him, which symbolizes his return to the top as a player, he who played 12 championship matches this season and experienced some small physical glitches at the very start of the season. A little marketing coup for Albacete, which also turns out to be a success on the pitch, since he quickly established himself as a defender and is one of the best in the championship in his position.

If his team’s results are rather average – Albacete is 14th out of 22, 2 points above the red zone – Vallejo’s experience will undoubtedly be useful in the race to maintain the second part of the season. “I am very happy here in Albacete, people like me a lot, I am comfortable in my daily life. It’s important to feel good personally to be competitive afterwards. The contrast of Real Madrid and Albacete? I’m not a glamorous person or someone who likes luxury, I’m very comfortable here, these first six months have gone too quickly”indicated the player last week, when he could find Real Madrid in the round of 16 of the Cup. If he has not managed to follow in the footsteps of his elders Sergio Ramos, Gerard Piqué or Carles Puyol, he is still enjoying football in Albacete. And he can still boast of having two Champions Leagues in his trophy cabinet…