Before the 2023-24 summer transfer window officially opened, Karim Benzema conveyed his wish to leave Real Madrid as a free agent. As soon as the bell rang, Benzema joined Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad, leaving a giant hole at the top of Los Blancos’ attack.
The Whites responded to Benzema’s departure by signing one of their former players, Joselu Mato, on loan from Espanyol. Fans, however, did not see him as Madrid’s first-choice center-forward. They held out hope for a superstar to arrive and add sizable firepower to the attack.
Los Merengues, meanwhile, seemingly had no intention of signing another center-forward, as they had complete faith in Joselu’s goalscoring ability.
Joselu Mato Has Been One Of Real Madrid’s Best Players This Season
Five games into the 2023-24 La Liga season, and it is safe to say that Los Merengues’ gamble on Joselu has paid off. The center-forward does not ask Carlo Ancelotti to play him in every single game like any superstar would have, which allows the Italian to experiment with his formations. But when called upon, he makes sure to bring his ‘A game’ and give Ancelotti something to think about.
Since the start of the season, Joselu has featured in five games, scoring twice and claiming an assist. He only started three of those matches and rewarded Ancelotti’s faith by scoring one goal each in the last two games while claiming an assist in his first start.
Unlike Benzema, Joselu does not contribute to the link-up play as much, but he always makes himself available for balls into the box, which is a must-have trait in a traditional center-forward. His shots on goals have also been top-notch, with him rarely missing the opportunity to test the goalkeeper.
Joselu Came Up Big For Madrid Against Sociedad
With Vinicius Junior still recovering from a muscle injury, Joselu got the opportunity to start alongside Rodrygo at the top of Madrid’s attack in Sunday’s (September 17) clash against Real Sociedad. He took just 25 touches and completed just nine passes before being subbed in the 62nd minute.
But the apparent lack of involvement counted for naught as he scored the winning goal through a fantastic header in the 60th minute. He could have had two in the 2-1 win over Sociedad had the crossbar not kept his effort out in the 16th minute.
Vinicius Junior’s return could see Joselu drop to the bench once again. However, considering the maturity and efficiency he has demonstrated thus far, it will be hard for any Los Blancos attacker to keep him out of action for long.
