Carreras settles the controversy at Real Madrid

Young Spanish player Alvaro Carreras has firmly established himself at left-back in Real Madrid's squad under coach Xabi Alonso, ending a long-running debate over who should fill the position, given the continued absence of Frenchman Ferland Mendy and Fran Garcia's lack of league participation. Real Madrid had tried to include Carreras in the Club World Cup, but his former club, Benfica, insisted on paying the full €50 million release clause amid internal administrative disputes at the Portuguese club, preventing the player from participating in the tournament. Despite some criticism and those who considered the deal excessive, Xabi Alonso believes Carreras is worth the money paid for him. During the Club World Cup, which was held in the United States, Alonso relied on Fran Garcia as the starting left-back due to Mendy's injury since the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona on April 26. Fran played every minute of the tournament, 540 minutes across six matches, adapting successfully to a variety of tactical systems, even when Alonso opted for a system with three defenders and two advanced wingers. With the players' return from their summer break, the landscape changed completely. Carreras began training at Valdebebas with his new teammates and quickly established himself in the starting lineup. He played every minute of the first two rounds of La Liga, featuring 180 minutes against Osasuna and Oviedo, becoming one of five players in the squad to have played every game so far, alongside Courtois, Huysen, Tchouameni, and Valverde. Xabi Alonso relies heavily on Carreras to build attacks from the back, as he is the team's second-highest passer, completing 154 passes with an accuracy approaching 90%. He is also the second-highest passer in the final third, with 24 successful passes. The player is known for his courage going forward and his ability to cooperate with the team's wingers. He demonstrated clear harmony with Vinicius Junior against Osasuna and Rodrygo against Oviedo, in addition to providing two assists in the latter match. With this impressive performance, Carreras has succeeded in winning the competition for the left-back position, proving that he is a successful signing and a winning bet for the future, at a time when Real Madrid is searching for technical stability across all its lines.