Another million-dollar failure for Real Madrid

BarcelonaMore cards (5) than goals and assists (4). This sums up Franco Mastantuono's first season with Real Madrid. He's received all his bookings in the domestic league: four yellows and one red, the latter in the last match against Getafe, where Real Madrid lost 0-1, displaying a very poor level of play. Let us emergeNicknamed "El Mastantuono" in the locker room for his haircut resembling that of the American singer, he has yet to justify the €45 million price tag paid for him. The Argentine was even compared to Leo Messi, mainly because he plays in similar positions, is fast, good in one-on-one situations, and possesses a magical left foot. Qualities that have only been glimpsed at the Santiago Bernabéu. Those rumors from last summer, claiming PSG was in a race with Real Madrid to sign him, seem a distant memory. Despite making him a substantial financial offer, the Argentine opted to stay in Madrid. But those who appear to benefit most from the deal, aside from his former club River Plate, are the French-Qatari club, who dodged a poisoned dart. Mastantuono has not performed as expected, culminating in a red card on Monday. In the 94th minute, when referee Muñiz Ruiz blew his whistle for a foul in favor of Getafe, the Argentinian started shoutingWhat a fucking disgrace", according to the match report. Straight red card. Dissatisfied with the expulsion, he walked towards the tunnel, saying angrily."You can't talk to the referee! You can't talk to him. You son of a bitch! You son of a bitch!"," DAZN cameras caught. The regulations punish this action with a two-match suspension, meaning he will miss the matches against Celta and Elche.

"The rules of the game stipulate that it's not just an insult, but a sign of disrespect towards the referee. It's sufficient grounds for sending him off. Therefore, in my opinion, the sanction is fair, considering that it's an act of faith, in the sense that what the referee writes in the match report is what the disciplinary committee must then take into account," said Xavier Estrada. "And the player's comments as he left the field could have resulted in a much longer suspension," he added, referring to the statements captured by the cameras that weren't addressed by VAR or included in the match report.

Four signings, only one success

Aside from Mastantuono, Real Madrid brought in three other players this summer, of whom only one, Álvaro Carreras, is performing well. Dean Huijsen arrived from Bournemouth for just over €60 million. He promised excellent footwork and was touted as one of the center-backs of the future. He started brilliantly at the Club World Cup, but his form has declined at an alarming rate. In the match against Getafe, he delivered a masterclass in erratic passing. Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold, for whom Real Madrid paid an additional €10 million to Liverpool to release him a few months earlier than planned, has spent countless hours in the treatment room. Muscle problems and poor performances have damaged his reputation, which a few years ago was that of being one of the best right-backs in the world. The exception among Florentino Pérez's signings is Carreras, brought in from Benfica with less fanfare and firmly established in the plans of first Xabi Alonso and now Álvaro Arbeloa.