The friendly match between Real Madrid Castilla and Marbella yesterday witnessed the return of young defender Juan Martinez to the pitch after a long absence due to a serious cruciate ligament injury he sustained last summer.

Martinez participated in the match for 20 minutes as a substitute, in a game that saw Castilla win 4-0, marking a first step towards regaining his full fitness and gradually returning to competition.

The player's return to action is a significant boost for both Castilla and the first team, as the club's plan last summer was to have him with the first team before he suffered a serious injury.

Martinez's return will provide a strong boost for coach Xabi Alonso in the new season, especially as the team has been struggling defensively, despite signing Dean Houseman.