Real Madrid fans were provided with the shocking news of the departure of Joselu Mato. The 34-year-old center forward has found an agreement with the Qatari side, Al Gharafa. The soccer community was left baffled by the decision at first but eventually sympathized with Joselu in what might very well be the last transfer in his career.
Joselu arrived at Madrid from Espanyol last season on a season-long loan deal. Expected to take a backup role, the striker’s importance increased prominently as the campaign progressed. The former Espanyol man finished the season with 17 goals and three assists, including the unforgettable brace against Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals. Los Blancos will dearly miss his presence in the upcoming season and here is a look at why.
The absence of a traditional number nine at Real Madrid
During the 2022/23 season, Carlo Ancelotti’s side suffered greatly due to not having an orthodox center forward in the squad. This allowed opposition defenses to move relatively forward from their stipulated positions, thereby disrupting Madrid’s game plan. Following the departure of Karim Benzema in 2023, the Italian was adamant about acquiring a striker who could become a focal point in attack.
Joselu‘s greatest ability is to pin the central defenders along with his prowess in the air. These skills helped Real Madrid massively in what was eventually a historic season. Without him, the European champions are devoid of a classic number nine, which will undoubtedly prove to be an issue against teams that settle in a low block. Joselu’s profile provided Real Madrid something that no other forward in the squad can do.
Too early for Endrick to settle in as the sole striker in Real Madrid
With the departure of Joselu, Brazil’s Endrick will be the only center forward at the Santiago Bernabeu for the upcoming season. Even that won’t guarantee the 18-year-old a starting spot, since Kylian Mbappe along with Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo will form the offense for Real Madrid. The front line will involve a lot of positional rotations, a distant strategy from the trademark structural formations.
As such, Ancelotti will only have Endrick at his disposal whenever the coach needs a poacher to attack the crosses. In what will be the Brazilian’s first-ever season in Europe, this big of a responsibility can either shape him for the good prematurely or hinder his development considerably. Joselu’s presence would have allowed Endrick to learn and grow without too much pressure while also learning the principles of center-forward play from the Spaniard.