Ugly ending for Álvaro Carreras at Benfica, benched and knocked out of the World Cup

Real Madrid could soon make one of the transfers it has been preparing for some time a reality. The intervention of the executives led by Florentino Pérez in the transfer market, to start the generational change in the defensive line, included the addition of three players.

Only two of those chosen were able to join Santiago Bernabéu locker room before the Club World Cup: Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Although Real Madrid did everything it could to secure that third signing, placing him under Xabi Alonso's orders, his original club refused.

Benfica dragged out the transfer as long as it could until it was already too late to register Álvaro Carreras on Real Madrid's squad list for the world competition. The Portuguese bosses stated that no offer had arrived from the Valdebebas offices, when the reality is that personal terms were agreed with the player weeks ago.

The only thing left was to complete negotiations with a Benfica that has experienced a considerable period of institutional instability. The Portuguese squad wanted to keep one of Bruno Lage's best protégés and finally succeeded... although he only made it to a rather eventful round of 16.

Closer than ever to the end

The match between Chelsea and Benfica was suspended due to a thunderstorm, a fairly common condition in some parts of the United States during the summer season. After FIFA considered that the match could be played without major problems, both teams faced each other and Benfica ended up losing in a brutal thrashing by the blue team.

Álvaro Carreras watched the defeat of his still teammates from the bench, without playing a single minute. That thrashing may have marked the beginning of the end for the former Madrid youth player in the Estádio da Luz squad, since Real Madrid will take advantage of that elimination to complete the signing.

"He'll be a Real Madrid player, sooner or later," they state in the Valdebebas offices regarding this matter. The Madrid bosses point out that they're not going to leave a player who did everything possible to join Santiago Bernabéu locker room before the Club World Cup stranded. However, its reaction toward Benfica, as a result of this striking "case," will be very different.

The standoff that the Portuguese squad has launched against Real Madrid has ultimately harmed the player... as well as his possible competitors in a top-level tournament. Meanwhile, Xabi Alonso's protégés keep training and are waiting for the opportunity to face Juventus of Turin, next Tuesday, July 1, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.