Real Madrid sorely missing €40 million-rated injured star amid struggles | OneFootball

Real Madrid have been flat in the final third this season and several factors are contributing to their blunt attack.

The change in formation to accommodate Kylian Mbappe, poor starts to the season for Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo and the lack of creativity in midfield are all responsible, in part, for the struggles in the final third.

The absence of Brahim Diaz, however, is an understated yet very important factor that is not discussed much.

A genius missing

Despite playing primarily as a substitute for Real Madrid last season, Brahim was massively vital to the team’s success with his decisive contributions.

The Moroccan international has always shown to have possessed a knack in front of goal and often helped the team find a way through rigid defences with his brilliance, be it as a starter or an impact substitute.

Brahim Diaz is out injured for three months. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

One can turn back the clock to Real Madrid’s clash against RB Leipzig last season when the ex-Man City man opened the scoring with his brilliance or any of the clashes against Las Palmas, SC Braga or Granada – he had a vital role in them all.

While he played just 40% of the team’s games last season, he finished the season as Real Madrid’s fifth-highest goalscorer with twelve goals and fourth-highest assist provider with eight assists.

In the 2006 minutes he participated, he averaged a goal contribution every 100 minutes, something Real Madrid could desperately do within their current situation.

Diaz enjoyed a good start to the 2024/25 campaign as well as he scored a goal and provided an assist off the bench against Real Valladolid.

However, an injury thereafter ruled him out for up to three months and he is still battling to return swiftly.

Real Madrid, thus, will hope he can return at the earliest for he is the missing trump card Carlo Ancelotti would have loved to have at his disposal given the team’s current crisis.

*Player valuation in title obtained from transfermarkt.com on date of publication.