While minutes might not come by easily at Real Madrid, even the standards for a bench player are incredibly high.
Overshadowed by the brilliance of Ferland Mendy, Fran Garcia is one of those squad players whose lack of game time has nothing to do with his on-field performance but the level of competition.
The squad loves Fran
For a player who doesn’t play much since his return to the Bernabéu, Fran Garcia continues to support his teammates while working hard for his chances to come.
Indeed, in the dressing room, the highlight of the players attitude is well perceived as a person who is calm, humble and hardworking to maintain a perfect physical shape as relayed by Spanish newspaper Relevo.
Fran’s Relationship with his teammates is termed as perfect, which is visibly evident if you watch his body movements closely on match days whether on the bench or on the pitch. He is always the first to cheer on his teammates in down moments and celebration in moments of victory and that has not gone unnoticed within the squad where he is considered an important player for the season.
The ideal performance vs Real Valladolid
When the ever-reliable Ferland Mendy got sent off in the opening game of the 2024/25 LaLiga season, with Camavinga who has often performed as a LB also nursing an injury, Fran Garcia was the most logical man to start on Sunday evening against Valladolid
In a game where the Madrid’s defence was impeccable, Fran Garcia’s attacking contributions can not be overlooked. His presence both defensively and in attack was one of the highlights of the one-sided contest.
On the night, Fran managed: 95% accurate passes (57/60), 2 chances created, 6 passes into the final third, 2/3 accurate long balls, 3/3 tackles won, 5 Recoveries, 2 interceptions and 5/6 ground duels won.
Taking all this into consideration, it’s fair to say Real Madrid are covered in the LB position with Ferland Mendy and Fran Garcia heading into a very demanding season.
