Raúl Asencio is willing to risk everything! He did it this Saturday against Villarreal – he started and played the 90 minutes alongside Huijsen in the center of defense – he will do it on Wednesday against Benfica and in all the games in which he plays with a fracture in his tibia that has been affecting him for some time.
The young 22-year-old player knows that the solution to his physical problem involves taking a break of almost two months. This would be the downtime necessary to ensure the consolidation of the crack. However, what would be best for the player directly conflicts with the interests of the team. The absence of the young defender would be devastating for an already very fragile defensive sector.
Faced with the choice between his well-being and that of the team, Asencio opted for the second. “I don’t even stop when I’m crazy,” he said recently when confronted with the situation. A decision as courageous as it was risky. Arbeloa can breathe a sigh of relief for now, but lives with the constant worry that Asencio’s injury will worsen at any moment.
Real Madrid’s defensive scenario is bleak: Militão’s long-term injury, Rudiger’s absence and Alaba far from his best competitive level. To make matters worse, Tchouaméni, the squad’s other makeshift centre-back, was also unavailable against Villarreal. Only Asencio and Huijsen remain. If the first one had to stop for two months, the situation would become dramatic.
«It is possible that it is an injury at an early stage, but it is not recommended to continue playing. The problem tends to increase the size of the crack and that is when the risk of a fracture arises», revealed Dr. Pedro Luis Ripoll to the newspaper Marca. If the injury reaches this level of severity, «we would be talking about six months of sick leave», concludes the specialist.
Despite everything, Asencio accepts the risk. The player does not want to give up the excellent form he is going through and intends to consolidate himself in Arbeloa’s plans, who sees Asencio as his most reliable defender. Furthermore, with a 2026 World Cup on the horizon, in which he dreams of participating, his determination is even greater. All of this means gritting your teeth and moving on.
