The seasons pass and the problems remain at Real Madrid. The Merengue defense is still far from giving full satisfaction as the C1 match against Inter showed despite the victory. We must also find a balance in this formation populated by stars who do not always manage to coexist. The attackers, notably Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Jr, are being asked to make more defensive efforts by the Spanish press and some supporters. In short, the work is still immense for José Mourinho who has accepted the challenge. A tailor-made mission for the Special One, who wants to restore order on the pitch but also in a locker room that imploded last year. To achieve this, he wants to build a solid and playful team ideally. But there is still a long way to go.
Competition at all positions for Endrick
Especially since he also has to make choices, he who has in his hands a squad full of stars and quality players. This is the case in attack. This summer, Mourinho let Gonzalo Garcia go to Fulham. An element that he had retained at the start, seduced by his profile during the recovery. But he finally opened the door for him, while asking Real Madrid to recruit a Joselu-style striker, namely a supersub capable of coming in and scoring goals. The Merengues thus offered him Carlos Espi. An arrival which did not suit Endrick, who had a new competitor in his sights. Many also thought that the Brazilian, returning to Madrid after 6 rather decent months at Lyon on loan (8 goals, 8 assists in 21 appearances), was going to be loaned out again.
But José Mourinho vetoed it. He made it clear to Endrick that he was counting on him to play in attack or on the right wing. Problem, the competition is fierce and the 20-year-old player risks not having much playing time. At the forefront, Kylian Mbappé (27 years old, 5 goals in 5 matches) is an indisputable starter in the minds of the staff. Carlos Espi (21 years old, 1 goal in 4 matches) is well on his way to being his understudy. He made a rather good impression in pre-season where he was the team’s top scorer, then in the little playing time he was able to have in official competitions. Regarding the right winger position, the Auriverde international also has concerns. If we put aside Rodrygo (25 years old) who is still recovering, Endrick must battle with Yan Diomandé (19 years old, 5 appearances), bought for €140 million (bonus included) and Brahim Diaz (27 years old, 1 assist in 3 appearances).
A loan this winter is not impossible
We must also not forget Arda Güler (21 years old, 1 goal, 1 assist in 4 appearances) who was also used in this position. Suffice to say that the Brazilian striker will have to fight to play. He will also have to score points quickly. For the moment, he has not yet been able to play an official match this season. In fact, he suffered a muscle injury which prevented him from starting this new exercise on time. Monday, José Mourinho gave his news. “Tomorrow (Tuesday) he might be ready to play 5 or 10 minutes, maximum. And that’s it. He trained yesterday for the first time with the team. He hasn’t played since… Budapest or Austria, in a friendly match. He is not in condition for more than 5 to 10 minutes. But since we have so many free places on the bench, he is there. And maybe he has to play 5 minutes. He is an offensive player, who will play in attack. Rest assured, he will neither be a full-back nor a central defender. He will be an attacker.
In the Madrid group against Inter, the player born in 2006 remained stuck on the bench (0 minutes played this season). If for the moment he has not yet been able to show what he has in his stomach, the Brazilian will have a few opportunities. Asked by The Athletica source close to Real Madrid, who specifies that the Merengues are cautious regarding his resumption in order to avoid a relapse, indicated: “He is confident because Mourinho told him that he would be an important player and that he would get playing time.” But that doesn’t reassure the Endrick clan. The Athletic reveals that certain relatives of the attacker “doubt the regularity of his playing time, which is why an assessment will be carried out before the winter transfer window”. And precisely, the English media specifies that Real Madrid will re-examine its situation in January and that a new loan is entirely possible. Enough to already put some pressure on the player, who knows that his club has already not ruled out this option.
