Football is cruel, but Xabi is even more: Madrid boss writes off youngster

Last season was absolutely magnificent for Raul Asencio. Thanks to David Alaba and Eder Militao's long-term severe injuries, he was moved from Real Madrid Castilla to the first team, where he quickly became irreplaceable under Carlo Ancelotti.

He was considered the next big thing at Santiago Bernabeu, and the club's management showed complete trust in him by extending his deal until 2031 a month ago. Moreover, his previous €50 million release clause was replaced with the one worth €1 billion, given that several teams were interested in bringing him.

However, things seem to have started going south for the young Spaniard. The change on Madrid's bench didn't change Asencio's status, but his recent poor performances did.

At the FIFA Club World Cup, he was one of the worst Los Blancos players. Against Al Hilal, he lost the ball in the box and conceded a penalty, and only four days later, he was sent off against Pachuca, giving Xabi Alonso enough reasons to start doubting his quality. After all, he didn't play until the semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain and got a chance then just because Dean Huijsen was suspended.

According to the Spanish Okdiario, Alonso isn't convinced that Asencio is what his team needs at the moment. He reportedly wants to play in a formation with three centre-backs and doesn't consider the 22-year-old reliable enough for a place in the XI.

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After Huijsen's arrival and Militao's recovery, Asencio could easily lose his place in the lineup, as Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba, and even Trent Alexander-Arnold could be in the mix for the starting centre-back position.

Hence, Asencio's future is vague at the moment, while his case is another example of how quickly things can change in football and how cruel this sport can be sometimes.