Regretful, Florentino Pérez knows he made a mistake, Luis de la Fuente has proven it

The international break has ended and the players are already back with their respective teams. In the case of Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso is getting most of the group back and is already focused on the next match against Elche. The three points are vital to keep leading the standings with authority.

However, on a negative note,  Real Madrid already knows that they won't be able to count on Camavinga, who has suffered an injury. The Frenchman leaves a huge gap in the midfield and Florentino Pérez is aware of it. In fact, his constant discomforts clearly show that the white president made a mistake by ruling out a very interesting signing last summer.

Florentino Pérez's mistake has a first and last name: Martín Zubimendi

Florentino Pérez knows that, after Camavinga's new injury, the presence of Martín Zubimendi in the white locker room would have been a relief. Let's remember that the beacon of the Spanish national team was on Real Madrid's radar last summer. Xabi Alonso saw him as a strategic reinforcement to balance the midfield.

But Florentino Pérez ruled out his arrival arguing that he already had Valverde, Tchouaméni, and Camavinga for that position. That reasoning closed the doors of Bernabéu to the Basque midfielder. Faced with that rejection, Zubimendi ended up signing for Arsenal, where he is shining with consistency and personality.

Luis de la Fuente proves the missed opportunity

Luis de la Fuente is showing that Zubimendi is an elite profile by giving him the reins of the Spanish national team. His leadership, his reading of the game, and his ability to provide balance place him among the best in the world in that position. Every time he plays, he reinforces the feeling that Florentino Pérez let an ideal footballer for Real Madrid slip away.

Now the white club must face the consequences of planning that didn't quite fit the team's real needs. Florentino Pérez knows that he underestimated Zubimendi's value and that Luis de la Fuente is right to fully trust him. The Spanish coach has showcased the midfielder's virtues before the eyes of all Europe.

It remains to be seen if, looking ahead to next summer, Florentino Pérez will try to solve this situation with the arrival of a new midfielder. Zubimendi is a mission impossible, since he just signed with Arsenal and is delighted at the Emirates. Even so, Vitinha, Rodri, Quinten Timber, Adam Wharton, or Angelo Stiller remain interesting profiles for the future of the white midfield.