Asier Illarramendi Has Missed His Big Chance to Become Real Madrid Regular
The summer of 2013 saw Real Madrid change tack somewhat in the transfer market, bringing in Spanish starlets Isco and Asier Illarramendi, as well as Dani Carvajal, as they looked to secure their future by signing the best national team youngsters to play alongside their international stars.
While Isco has elevated himself this season somewhere close to the ranks of Galacticos at the club with a string of hugely impressive displays, it has been more difficult for Illarra, as he is known, to get himself into the first-team picture as manager Carlo Ancelotti preferred the likes of Luka Modric in central midfield.
Injuries to Modric and others have, more recently, given Illarra the chance to play more minutes in the Real starting XI, but the recent signing of Lucas Silva and Illarra's own uneven form means he has almost certainly missed out on his biggest opportunity to cement himself into the club's regular side.
Opportunity
Real played a 4-3-3 last season and were not exactly short on quality midfield options. Along with Modric, there was Angel Di Maria and Sami Khedira, both World Cup finalists last summer, with Xabi Alonso also a mainstay. Casemiro and Illarra himself provided the depth with youth as Real pushed for another La Liga title and won La Decima, their 10th European Cup/Champions League.
Casemiro departed for Porto, Alonso to Bayern Munich and Di Maria for Manchester United as Real restructured their centre of the park, making room for Toni Kroos to come in. While the German is an undisputed starter, Modric's long-term injury and Khedira falling out of favour—then getting injured—presented Illarra with his best chance to make an impact for Real.
In the 4-3-3, playing as one of the two wider, slightly more advanced central players ahead of Kroos, Illarra worked hard and was useful in pressing opposition midfielders, winning the ball back and passing it off simply, but he lacked the technical ability to make a difference going forward. Where James Rodriguez and Isco moved between helping out defensively and then striking further up the field, Illarra's limitations in that department meant he was often hesitant about playing any kind of killer pass and instead frequently looked wide for an overlapping full-back or backward to safety.
When in the 4-4-2, Illarra was more suited to the holding role alongside Kroos, but Ancelotti seems to have concerns over a lack of dynamism or self-confidence.
That Illarra has only made five league starts in a season where Real have struggled for midfield consistency in personnel at times is a clear indication that the manager was not happy picking him regularly.
"Germany never really been good for Illarra. First half in Dortmund last season was real beginning of end for him with Ancelotti I reckons.
— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) February 18, 2015"
January
The arrival of Lucas Silva seems to have quickly shut down any major game time for Illarra.
"3 - In his first La Liga game started, Lucas Silva has just failed three passes during the first period. Focused pic.twitter.com/ke8GHh8sme
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) February 22, 2015"
Already, the Brazilian has featured in three games, starting the last two, while Illarra has managed a total of 104 minutes in five games since the beginning of February.
"Big boost for Madrid that Pepe & Benzema fit to start. L. Silva ahead of Illarra no surprise given Ancelotti's lack of faith in the Basque
— Kieran Canning (@KieranCanning) February 18, 2015"
With Khedira also potentially returning from injury in the next few days and Real having reverted to a two-man central midfield last time out against Elche, it is likely that Illarra's time on the park will be more restricted than ever despite having had the recent opportunity to break through.
Future
As for what comes next for the Spaniard, he's likely to be looking at an extended run of bench time to the end of the season. Regardless of which system Ancelotti chooses, there are at least three options ahead of Illarra now, and it will only be as sub or to rotate and rest players that he picks up further game time.
Looking ahead, he is likely to have to depart Real in the summer, and there will be plenty of interested parties for a permanent deal.
Even though he hasn't managed to nail down a starting role here, it must be remembered he's at one of the world's biggest clubs with massive expectations; the demand for him to not only perform to tactical instruction but also to impress and win a place is a difficult balancing act, one he ultimately hasn't been able to crack over the past two seasons.
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