After Kylian Mbappe's injury, which will keep him off the field for at least a couple of weeks, a young player from Real Madrid Castilla has a new opportunity to shine and hopes to be considered for regular first-team selection.
Third time's the charm, or so they say. Gonzalo Garcia returns to a scenario he knows very well. With Kylian Mbappe injured and out of rhythm, his name appears on the table. It happened at the Club World Cup, where four goals turned a Castilla striker into one of the most talked-about footballers of the summer.
It happened again throughout the season, with sporadic appearances whenever the Frenchman felt some discomfort — and it is no minor detail that all his goals in the white shirt came precisely during those absences of Kylian.
And now, with Mbappe's semitendinosus out of action and Espanyol waiting on Sunday, Gonzalo can once again sparkle in front of him. His last start dates back to March 2, against Getafe. Since then, his prominence under Arbeloa's orders has shrunk to almost testimonial appearances.
This time, the equation has more variables. With Guler also out due to injury and Rodrygo's well-known absence, Arbeloa will have to choose two out of three to complete the lineup: Gonzalo, Camavinga, and Brahim are competing for the remaining spots. A battle that, seen from the outside, will have little effect on the future of the white collective, but for the Madrid-born striker, it could be the last chance to leave a real mark in this final stretch.
The curious thing about Gonzalo's trajectory in recent months is the distance between what happens in Valdebebas and what happens when he wears red (Spain). With the first team, he has lived a season of residual minutes, coming on when the game was already decided or warming up on the sideline without ever stepping on the grass. He has not scored with the Real Madrid shirt since February.
But with the under-21 side, Gonzalo is a different player. A leader, undisputed and a protagonist. Six goals in seven appearances paint a picture of a striker who needs confidence and continuity to function, and who, when he has them, usually does not fail.
All this happens while his name begins to circulate in European offices. In the last year, his market value has risen from €5 million to €30 million, a jump that echoes the four goals he scored at the Club World Cup. From Germany, Sky Sports has pointed to Borussia Dortmund as a suitor, although everything remains speculative.
The striker's future is one of those unknowns that Madrid must resolve this summer, unlike the more obvious departures of Carvajal, Ceballos, or Alaba. For now, Gonzalo has this matchday ahead of him and a game against Espanyol in which to prove that his story with the first team has not yet said its last word.
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