Real Madrid: Asensio emerges as specialist in opening scoring
"The first goal is worth three," Real Madrid great Alfredo Di Stéfano once said. Marco Asensio has become an expert at breaking the deadlock.
"The first is worth three," Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stéfano once told Diario AS's editor, Alfredo Relaño, when discussing the difficulty, and significance, of getting the opening goal in football.
Asensio: Real Madrid's go-to man for opening scoring
Di Stéfano's memorable phrase underlines Marco Asensio's feat in becoming something of a go-to man for Real in this department, having now hit the game's first goal five times this season - more than any other player in Los Blancos' squad.
He broke the deadlock in his first start of the campaign, the Spanish Super Cup second leg against Barcelona, firing in a long-range stunner that sent the Bernabéu into raptures and drew a disbelieving reaction from his coach, Zinedine Zidane.
Since then, the 22-year-old has done the same against Valencia in LaLiga week two, in the Copa del Rey first legs against Fuenlabrada and Leganés, and, most recently, in Sunday's league win at Real Betis.
A role reserved for Cristiano Ronaldo in recent times
Having taken on a role in recent times reserved for Cristiano Ronaldo - who, alongside Gareth Bale, has opened the scoring three times this term - his emergence as an abrelatas ('tin opener') is yet more evidence of his meteoric development.
Real Madrid's second-top scorer so far this season, Asensio continues to stake a louder and louder claim for a regular spot in Los Merengues' XI; indeed, 80% of his goals and assists since August have come as a starter.
Follow Leganés vs Real Madrid with AS English
Having been in the team at Betis, he has kept his place for Real's rearranged LaLiga week 16 clash at Leganés tonight - and you can follow all the action live online with AS English.
