No one gave €1 for him and he shines like no one else at Real Madrid: 'They'd written him off'

Sometimes, people speak too soon, and that's what happened to Álvaro Carreras's haters. The Spanish left-back, who played for Benfica, cost the club €50 million. That's something some people didn't accept, and now they're eating their own words, because he's doing an outstanding job.

"Álvaro Carreras? Many people had practically written him off because of his performance at the Club World Cup (...) A player isn't defined by a semi-preseason match. He's a fantastic signing (...) It shows that Madrid, by not only signing players who are the best in their position, can build a better team than it has with its transfer policy in recent years," said Bruno Alemany on Carrusel Deportivo.

It's still too early to know what kind of performance Carreras can deliver at Real Madrid, but we have to be optimistic. The kid has started off very well and it seems like he's been playing for the team for years. With him, there's no talk of an adaptation period, just as there isn't with Huijsen.

A special full-back

Álvaro Carreras is proving to be a very complete footballer, perhaps the ideal one to play as a left-back for this Real Madrid. "He practically masters everything and keeps his concentration throughout the entire match. He was an excellent signing for both the present and the future," were Xabi Alonso's words after yesterday's match."

It's not easy to find a full-back who keeps such a high level of concentration throughout the entire game. That, combined with his quality and clarity when making decisions, makes him a very interesting footballer for Xabi.

He will be a bargain

At Real Madrid, they're sure that in a few years people will talk about how much of a bargain it was to sign Álvaro Carreras for €50 million. The only thing that bothers them is that the academy didn't spot his talent before he left. During his time at La Fábrica, they went with another full-back who no longer plays.

The kid is living a dream in his first few months as a Madridist. He still can't believe he's playing for the best club in the world, surrounded by the best. He's worked hard to get here and now he just wants to enjoy himself and keep growing.