De La Fuente and Real Madrid Greats Back Huijsen During Form Slump
Backers urge patience, citing his ball-playing quality and maturity.
Overview
- Dean Huijsen’s recent dip, highlighted in games against Liverpool and Sevilla after the Metropolitano defeat, has intensified scrutiny of his readiness at Real Madrid.
- Spain coach Luis de la Fuente praised the 19-year-old’s maturity and physical tools, saying he needs time and humility to grow and can be trusted.
- Club icons Manolo Sanchís and Rafa Alkorta lauded Huijsen’s distribution and intuition while stressing improvements in physical duels and one-on-one forcefulness.
- Ivan Campo said concentration must sharpen in Madrid’s unforgiving environment, noting the step up from Bournemouth and the magnification of mistakes.
- Selection pressure is rising as Antonio Rüdiger’s form strengthens his case for minutes, and reporting suggests Huijsen’s 2026 World Cup hopes could be at risk without a rebound.