"I wasn't up to scratch at the Club World Cup"

Raúl Asencio, Real Madrid defender, looked back on a bittersweet season in which he realised his dream of playing for the first team, but also admitted falling short during the Club World Cup in the United States—a tournament he said "demanded the maximum".

"Madridistas, a season comes to an end in which I fulfilled the dream of being part of the best club in the world, but it ended in the way I least wanted", he wrote on Instagram. "I feel I wasn't up to the standard required at a Club World Cup that demanded the maximum, but now it's time to switch off and recharge my batteries. I wish you happy holidays and, now and always, Hala Madrid".

Under former coach Carlo Ancelotti, Asencio became a trusted member of the squad, but struggled during the Club World Cup under Xabi Alonso.

He gave away a penalty in the opener against Al-Hilal, was sent off early against Pachuca, and made a costly error against PSG in the semi-final, leading to Madrid's elimination.