No one can doubt the excellent performance that Pau Cubarsí has had at FC Barcelona. Fans and analysts agree that he is a generational talent and that he is destined to leave his mark at Camp Nou. He is only 17 years old but acts like a veteran.
However, for Álvaro Benito, a contributor to El Chiringuito, Real Madrid also has a promising youngster who is dazzling with his maturity. We are talking about Raúl Asencio, who has settled into Carlo Ancelotti's starting eleven due to the many absences in defense. The youth-team player has known how to take advantage of his opportunity and is making a great impression.
Since he came on against Osasuna after Militão's injury, Raúl Asencio hasn't stopped playing, doing so with consistency. Carlo Ancelotti's team hasn't conceded a goal in LaLiga since his debut. This is an impressive milestone that has consolidated him as one of the revelations of the season. Álvaro Benito wanted to talk about it.
Álvaro Benito Analyzes the Emergence of Raúl Asencio
As Álvaro Benito points out, “Raúl Asencio has had a great game at Liverpool. There's a footballer here.” With this statement, Benito makes it clear that the trust in Asencio is more than justified. Not only that, as he explained the reasons that make the young Real Madrid youth player such a great talent.
In his analysis for Movistar+, Álvaro Benito was full of praise for the young Real Madrid center-back. "I think this is plain reality. We could say that he had two good games in LaLiga—less demanding—but in Liverpool he had a superb game. We have a footballer here," he said bluntly about Raúl Asencio.
His ability to adapt to the first-team level and his solid performance against top-level teams have earned him the trust of Ancelotti and his teammates.
In addition, Álvaro Benito also highlighted how the presence of Raúl Asencio has raised the performance of Antonio Rüdiger. The latter has improved in his performance since the young center-back took center stage. "Asencio has improved Rüdiger. He's given him more stability in defense," said Benito, highlighting the importance of this emergence in Carlo Ancelotti's system.
Raúl Asencio and Pau Cubarsí: Open Debate
Since Raúl Asencio was included in the starting eleven, Real Madrid has shown enviable defensive solidity. It is no coincidence that, despite the difficulties the team has faced recently, such as the two goals conceded against Liverpool, the performance in La Liga has been immaculate. The defense has regained its balance and Asencio has played an essential role in this.
Pau Cubarsí, meanwhile, leads the FC Barcelona defense as a teenager. Together with Íñigo Martínez, he forms an extraordinary full-back duo. We'll see in a few years who has a better career: Cubarsí or Raúl Asencio.