Real Madrid ‘fourth-choice’ centre-back’ determined to fight for a place | OneFootball

It is easy for a professional sportsman to get demotivated when his team signs another player for his position. Not only does it signal the arrival of direct competition but also an indication that the club does not consider his contributions sufficient enough.

Last season, Nacho Fernandez was the third choice centre-back behind David Alaba and Eder Militao at Real Madrid. Yet, being the first-choice substitute helped him gather minutes when the starters were injured or rotated.

And he did a rather excellent job, including in the latter stages of the Champions League when the pressure ramped up.

This season, the Spaniard’s role is not as clear. The arrival of Antonio Rudiger has complicated the situation, for Nacho is now the fourth-choice centre-back.

According to reports from Diario AS, the Spaniard is not afraid of competition. He is not disheartened by the arrival of Rudiger and is, in fact, used to such complicated situations.

He finished last season at a very high level and came back to work with a determined mindset. During Real Madrid’s US leg of the preseason, the Spaniard displayed that he is a reliable presence in the back.

The reason for his mental strength in this difficult situation is that Nacho feels he is at his dream club and at the best moment of his career. Moreover, the manager’s trust in him is a driving factor too.

Last season, the 32-year-old made 28 La Liga appearances for the champions and scored three goals. Defensively, he averaged over six defensive actions per game and oversaw four clean sheets.

His current contract with the club expired in June 2023, but there have been talks over an extension for an additional year. It remains to be seen if Los Blancos push for the renewal or if the player departs because of a lack of playing time.