Álvaro Carreras has started all three pre-season matches mentioned so far, and that is the clearest sign that Real Madrid are treating him as more than a training-ground extra. He also completed the full 90 minutes against Fiorentina and set up Endrick's opening goal in that game. After coming through Manchester United and Benfica, he is using this run of games to make his case under Jose Mourinho.
Carreras's pre-season case
The attitude around him is already clear enough. An AS report via madriduniversal.com said he has no intention of accepting that status without a fight, while another AS report via football365.com added that he does not want to be just a luxury substitute. Those lines fit the football on the pitch. Carreras started both behind-closed-doors friendlies against Alcorcon and Leganes, then kept his place from the opening whistle against Fiorentina.
That matters because the minutes have not been token ones. One full 90-minute appearance, one assist and three starts in the games referenced point to a manager giving him a real audition, not a short cameo before moving on. Real Madrid have also conceded three goals this summer, with no Carreras errors noted in the reporting, so he has not damaged his case while trying to add to it.
Cucurella's arrival raises the stakes
The challenge is obvious. Real Madrid signed Marc Cucurella for another €55 million, and the reports frame him as the number one left-back. Carreras is not being written out of the picture, though, and that is the part worth watching. The competition is fierce, but the summer has shown he is prepared to push back rather than settle for a bench role.
Mourinho still has a decision to make, and Carreras has done the useful part already. He has stayed on the pitch, contributed in attack and handled the first stage of pre-season without blinking. The next checkpoint is whether he keeps starting when the warm-up games give way to the real thing.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
