Real Madrid academy product to stay with first team for remainder of season

Real Madrid's lack of academy products in the first team has been a talking point this season following the departures of Nacho Fernandez and Nico Paz, who impressed at Como, while Barcelona top the league with a number of La Masia talents. However, Raul Asencio's opening stint in the first team impressed.

Since Asencio came into the starting line-up to replace the injured Eder Militao against Osasuna, Los Blancos have yet to concede. Marca say he has been taken under the wing of Antonio Rudiger, with the German defender 'tutoring' the Castilla graduate in recent weeks. He has become his first point of reference and he spends a lot of time with him during training, even if he has only given him small advice during the matches.

Meanwhile, with Militao out for the rest of the season and David Alaba's fitness, Relevo say that Asencio will remain with the seniors for what remains this year. His progress is being held up as an example for other academy players, who can finally see a path to the first team that they can follow.

Asencio will be fully tested at Anfield on Wednesday evening, where he will start in a much more difficult setting against Liverpool. So far he has been faultless and is part of the generally more solid Real Madrid team.