The 2022 World Cup is around the corner and a fair few players aren’t going to be happy with their lack of game time, especially if it affects their chances of being handed that Golden ticket to Qatar, as Liverpool and Tottenham summer transfer target, Marco Asensio can testify.
When the 2022 summer transfer window was open, there was talk of the Real Madrid superstar possibly moving to the Premier League, with Liverpool and Tottenham keen.
One of the reasons Asensio wanted to move was to increase his minutes, and therefore, put himself in the best position to be fit and firing for Spain.
But, when you have the level and depth of attackers Carlo Ancelotti can pick from, then it does make life difficult, as proved to be the case during Real Madrid’s 4-1 win over Mallorca on Sunday.
Asensio was an unused substitute, despite Karim Benzema being absent through injury, Eden Hazard going off and the home side needing a goal when scores were level at 1-1 after the hour mark.
When Asensio was left on the bench, he reacted in an angry fashion, including throwing his training top, as Ancelotti agreed with his reaction because he thinks the player’s frustrations are justified, as quoted by FourFourTwo.
“If he’s angry, I agree with him,” said Ancelotti. “It’s normal, it means he wants to play, to feel important.
“In this period, he has been the player most affected in the squad and I take that into account. I’m totally in agreement with his anger. It’s fine.”
17 MINUTES FOR ASENSIO SO FAR…
These aren’t great times for Asensio because, even with Benzema’s absence, he still can’t get onto the pitch.
A team like Liverpool would have been able to do with his qualities had they pushed to sign him because they aren’t going great guns themselves.
If Tottenham had signed him, then he would have been still warming the bench because Antonio Conte brought in players to bulk up his squad and not break his XI straightaway.
Either way, with Ancelotti in the dugout, Asensio has one of the best man-managers to deal with and he will have to find a light for the player before November, or else he might not be going to the World Cup, at all.
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