Huijsen’s secrets revealed: “Intuition”, “body language”, and “playing on the edge...”
Manolo Sanchís, Rafa Alkorta, Fernando Sanz and Paco Pavón, four legendary Real Madrid centre-backs, analyse Dean Huijsen.
With three-quarters of the season gone, it is time to take stock of Dean Huijsen’s performances. The 20-year-old was one of the standout signings of last summer, for whom Real Madrid paid Bournemouth €58 million ($67 million). Huijsen, also a key player for Luis de la Fuente’s World Cup squad, has delivered contrasting displays. After a dazzling start, he was singled out in the 5-2 defeat at the Metropolitano. A difficult calf injury then made things even more challenging, but Dean eventually bounced back in the Champions League tie against Manchester City and in the derby at the Bernabéu.
To gain a clearer picture of his situation, we gathered the opinions of Manolo Sanchís (710 matches for Real Madrid), Rafa Alkorta (134), Paco Pavón (167), and Fernando Sanz (45). Several common themes emerged in their analysis. Words such as “intuition,” “physical presence,” “risk,” and “playing on the edge” were repeated. It is on concepts like these that the career of a successful centre-back at the best club in the world is built. They have already walked that path.
“It’s not easy being a centre-back in a team like this,” they say. Huijsen is experiencing this firsthand and, for now, according to them, he has passed the test: “He’s a centre-back for ten years or more.”
In the last two matches against City and Atlético, the international was the outfield player who completed the most passes for Madrid (82 and 84), the one involved in the most plays (95 and 100), and the one who cleared the most balls (six and seven). Huijsen is back to his best, coinciding with the international break. In the derby he attempted 27 progressive carries through opposition lines, in addition to completing seven of his 11 long passes, and he attempted 34 at the Etihad. Once again, he is a key figure in both phases of play: in defence and at the base of the attack.
Nevertheless, Huijsen himself acknowledged his dip in form after the derby. “All footballers go through slumps, and I think the injuries didn’t help either. Real Madrid fans and everyone else know the level I’m capable of, and I think I’m reaching that level again now. That’s what I work for every day,” he said. He also accepted the whistles from the Bernabéu crowd he had endured, particularly after hitting rock bottom with the penalty conceded against Yangel Herrera.
“The demands of the Bernabéu are good in a way, because they show what Real Madrid fans expect from me, that they trust me, and that they know I can give more.”
bThat difficult spell now seems to be in the past, and Arbeloa deserves some of the credit for Huijsen’s resurgence, having waited patiently for him.
“Regarding Huijsen and Mastantuono,” the coach added, “I’m very clear about it. They are very young players. I remember what was said when Vinícius arrived, and look at him now, with two European Cups and as one of the best players in the world. I’m going to be very patient with them. Huijsen has my full confidence. I would like the fans, as well as demanding hard work from him, to encourage him. Because he’s going to make mistakes. Football is a sport of mistakes, but these experiences will be valuable to him.”
Manolo Sanchís is a Real Madrid icon of the 1980s and 1990s, a captain, winner of 21 titles, and a key member of the Quinta del Buitre. Few voices are more qualified to explain what it means to play centre-back for Real Madrid.
“It’s a particularly delicate position. Sometimes you have to solve situations more through intuition than through strategy. When you start playing centre-back for Real Madrid, you enter a new world, a world of risk.”
That is only the on-field aspect. Then there is everything else: the club, the dressing room, the fans, the environment.
“Real Madrid doesn’t wait for you. There have been players who arrived at 28 and struggled to adapt to the team dynamic, and others who fitted in perfectly at 17 or 18. Zidane had a tough time. Raúl, on the other hand, had a phenomenal personality and integrated quickly into the dressing room.”
“He still needs to polish certain aspects,” Sanchís adds. “Intuition is an important factor. Being fast isn’t enough, and that’s something you develop out of necessity. He has fantastic distribution, he plays with great composure, but he needs to work a little on one-on-one situations. He can also improve physically.
“At Real Madrid, we’ve all gone through that phase. There are moments when you even doubt yourself. But that has to be temporary, because doubt leads to mistakes. Huijsen has enormous potential and, if he focuses on improving what he needs to improve, we have a centre-back for many years.”
Rafa Alkorta earned his place in the club’s history as one of its most reliable centre-backs, rarely prone to mistakes. A legend at both Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, he also played in three World Cups (1990, 1994, and 1998).
“Huijsen is still in a learning process. It’s not easy to play for Real Madrid, firstly because the level of competition is so high. And I’m not even mentioning what will happen when Militão returns. He’s a very young player with room for improvement, and being surrounded by players of that level will help him grow.”
Like Sanchís, Alkorta sees certain areas that need improvement.
“Especially in physical duels and aerial battles. Despite being so tall, he needs to assert himself more. That comes with time. The players next to him, Militão, Rüdiger and Asencio, are all very strong in the air. Simply by training with them, he’ll absorb that.”
“Real Madrid is a team that constantly attacks,” Alkorta explains, “and the centre-back is always playing on the edge. You have to defend almost in midfield, know how to track back, rely on intuition, and deal with many one-on-one situations. That’s where the importance of a good centre-back in an elite team lies.
“Establishing yourself at Real Madrid isn’t easy, that’s clear. But he’s very young and has a tremendous future. There’s a centre-back there for the next ten years or more.”
Fernando Sanz’s career with Real Madrid’s first team was shorter, but few understand the pressure better than he does. He made his debut at a very young age and under intense scrutiny as the son of the legendary president Lorenzo Sanz, under whose leadership the club won the European Cup in 1998 and 2000.
“It’s not easy to see a centre-back as young and mature as him,” he says. “Because of his age there have been ups and downs, which is normal. Arbeloa has given him confidence and he’s responded well.”
Like the others, Sanz also identifies some weaknesses in Huijsen’s game.
“I’m not going to use the word ‘soft’, but there were moments when he seemed to lack decisiveness in duels or when making tackles. He recognised that and now he’s more aggressive. Sometimes he wanted to be too elegant, to play every ball out from the back. But sometimes you just have to clear it or put it out for a throw-in without hesitation. I think he regained his confidence by simplifying his game. I liked that.”
“Without a doubt, that kid has something few centre-backs possess: quality, physique, and heading ability. And he’s learning from the best. That will help him develop very quickly. He’s stepping up in a difficult year. He’ll be a centre-back for at least ten years. I believe he’s going to make history at the club.”
Finally, Paco Pavón. He did not carry the weight of expectations as a major signing, but rather the symbolic burden of the phrase ‘Zidanes and Pavones’.
“He has an impressive physique and he’s quick for his size. I see very few centre-backs with his qualities. Some are faster, others are better in the air, but few possess his talent. It’s very difficult to find that in a centre-back. And with experience, his abilities will improve greatly, because he’s top-class.”
He adds another important factor.
“For a young player to succeed at Real Madrid, the context has to be favourable. The team’s performances weren’t what we wanted, and when you place a young player in that situation it becomes more difficult for him to showcase his qualities. His performances have improved as the team’s play has improved. Pitarch’s arrival has been fantastic for him. He has more support ahead of him to thread passes, and his game benefits from that.”
And finally, the big question: why is it so difficult to be a centre-back at Real Madrid?
“Because you defend in open space,” Pavón explains. “You know you’re going to face a lot of one-on-one situations because opponents usually look for counter-attacks. That’s why players who can cover for their teammates are so important. That’s why we’ve seen Valverde shine when he’s played at full-back. Or in the past Varane, who was extremely fast, or now Asensio.
“That’s why it’s so difficult to be a defender at Real Madrid. The club demands the absolute best, and when you’re not at your peak, you start to be singled out. Real Madrid demands immediate performance. That’s why it’s so difficult to be a centre-back at this club.”
Related stories
Gomez blasts Pochettino: "Four years were wasted"
No consequences for the World Cup
Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.
Complete your personal details to comment