Real Madrid: Marcelo fights against his destiny

Marcelo is known as a substitute at Real Madrid right now, but he does not resign himself and fights against that destiny with a view to the Spanish Super Cup, whose semifinals Madrid will play this Thursday against Athletic in La Rosaleda (Málaga), with the hope of being later in the final on Sunday in Seville. With a short tournament and a title at stake, it is unlikely that Zidane will change to a Mendy who guarantees defensive solvency, but Marcelo remains hopeful.

The Brazilian has been working alongside Adolfo Madrid for weeks, a personal fitness trainer who has already worked alongside other players, such as Atletico Marcos Llorente. Marcelo ended up being aware that the recovery of his best level went through refining his physique, a pending issue in recent seasons and that had strongly weighed down on his performances. At 32 years old (they will be 33 in May), Marcelo cannot afford excesses.

And it is that Mendy is very titular today, as the minute count shows, in which the French practically triples the Brazilian: 1,679 ‘by Mendy, 609’ by Marcelo. The Rio de Janeiro lane started in the recent visit to Elche and the game ended 1-1; his previous title dated from the end of November, in the defeat at home against Alavés (1-2).

Marcelo: uncertain future

And that is Marcelo’s biggest problem: his presence in the eleven usually coincides with punctures. Without going any further, in the league this season he has started six times: two wins, one draw and three losses. Much difference compared to a Mendy with whom Madrid does not know what it is to lose in the League when he starts, neither last year nor in the present.

What happens in the rest of the season will largely shape the future of Marcelo, who arrived at Real Madrid in January 2007, almost 15 years ago. His contract ends in June 2022 and he could look for a way out to take advantage of his last years of career playing at the first level; Real Madrid considers him a amortized player and will not push to get a good figure for him, especially knowing that the starting position is well covered with Mendy and that in the chamber there are players transferred, but re-able (Reguilón and Achraf) and a youth with great looks like Miguel Gutiérrez.