Who is Marvel, Real Madrid’s “new” central defender?

Real Madrid’s 2023-24 season couldn’t have got off to a much worse start, with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and starting central defender Eder Militão both suffering ACL tears within days of one another. The duo are set for lengthy spells on the sidelines and while Los Blancos have dipped into the loan market to sign Courtois’ replacement (Chelsea’s Kepa), Castilla player Marvel has been promoted from the reserve team to strengthen the back line, AS has learned.

Marvel to be Real Madrid’s fourth-choice central defender

Head coach Carlo Ancelotti is also considering using full-backs Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy in central roles, although Marvel, full name Marvelous Antolín Garzón, has been training with the first team in the last few days and has convinced the Italian that he is capable of staying there. The 20-year-old will, in theory, be the fourth-choice central defender after David Alaba, Antonio Rüdiger and Nacho.

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Moroccan-born defender plays for Spain

The youngster has yet to make his debut in the first team but was part of the roster that travelled to Morocco, the country of his birth, for the FIFA Club World Cup in February, with Alaba unavailable due to injury. Although born in Casablanca, Marvel is a Spanish international at Under-19 level having moved to Spain as a very young child and been adopted by a family in the country.

Born in 2003, the powerful, left-footed centre-back joined Real Madrid’s academy when he was just seven but left after a year, moving across town to Atlético Madrid. After further time spent in the youth teams of fellow Madrid-based clubs RSD Alcalá and Rayo Vallecano, he returned to Los Blancos in 2016 and has made his way through the ranks, making his Castilla debut in October 2021. He has gone on to make over 30 appearances for Real Madrid’s reserve team, now coached by club legend Raúl.

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Why haven’t Madrid signed a replacement for Militão?

Marvel’s first-team call-up goes some way to filling the void left by Militão’s injury, with AS revealing that Madrid had no intention of going back into the transfer market for a replacement for the Brazilian, as had been the case with Courtois. Ancelotti feels he has enough experience in central defence with Rüdiger, Alaba and Nacho, and has opted to give youth a chance. How much of a chance Marvel will get, however, remains to be seen.

The young centre-back will train with the first team every day and will presumably be called into Ancelotti’s matchday squads on a regular basis as a result. Although there is still the option for him to continue playing with Real Madrid Castilla when not needed by the first team. Marvel played a few minutes for the reserve side in a friendly against Unionistas de Salamanca on Wednesday, which could be his last appearance for them for a while.