Dean Huijsen has been a standout player for Real Madrid ever since joining the club in the summer.
Especially during the first phase of the campaign, the former Bournemouth prodigy showed a lot of promise and built an excellent partnership with Eder Militao.
However, Huijsen has come under fire in recent weeks for his inconsistent performances, especially against big teams. His weakness was most recently exploited in the defeat to Liverpool.
The Reds were able to secure a 1-0 victory, with Huijsen picking up a yellow card.
Amid poor form, Mario Cortegana claims that Huijsen was indeed asked to improve internally by the Real Madrid coaching staff.
Although the club continue to hold immense faith in the Spanish international, they believe he still needs to improve his focus and discipline at the back.
Real Madrid also expect Huijsen to show more intensity and physically dominate the opposing attackers – something that has not happened recently.
Although the former Bournemouth prodigy is outstanding when it comes to bring the ball out from the back, he still has room to improve when it comes to overall performance.
Therefore, it will be interesting to see how Huijsen copes with the pressure, especially after the November international break.
For now, the Spaniard has no immediate threat of getting replaced in the starting eleven, but it is no secret that Real Madrid are eyeing big moves in 2026, with Dayot Upamecano reportedly closing in on a move to Santiago Bernabeu.
Therefore, it is time for Huijsen to step up and establish himself as a trusted option for Xabi Alonso if he is to become a first-team regular for the club in the years to come.