The year 2025 took an unexpected turn for Franco Mastantuono, but what good is 2026 if it isn’t an opportunity to get back on track? This is not just hope, but a genuine desire within Real Madrid. Aside from injuries, as was the case with Trent Arnold, Mastantuono, who had been a regular starter since his arrival, has recently become almost a permanent substitute.

The belief in the talent of the Argentine player has not wavered. When Real Madrid put all its weight into preventing him from going to Paris Saint-Germain and agreed to complete the most expensive transfer in River Plate's history (€63.2 million), it did so with full conviction, and that conviction still stands. The early stages for young talents at Real Madrid are rarely smooth (Vinicius, Gvardiol, and Endrick are clear examples), so the bet on Mastantuono is a long-term one, and that has not changed.

The ball is now in the Argentine player's court at the start of the new year, to regain the spark and vitality he brought from Argentina and try to turn the tide. Even Mastantuono himself was unable to maintain the initial momentum, and in the meantime, Rodrigo took advantage and seized the right flank from him. While Rodrigo was a starter against Manchester City, Alavés, and Sevilla, the player wearing the number 30 jersey played only two minutes in those matches.

Mastantuono's only goal so far came on September 23rd, and it was the second goal in a 2-0 victory over Levante. However, even that goal did not provide a solid foundation to build on or to regain confidence, especially given the struggles of the opposing team at that time.

So far, Mastantuono has not established himself either through his performance or his goals. His offensive record is limited to that beautiful "chip" goal at the Ciudad de Valencia stadium and at River Plate, where he became the youngest scorer in the club's history at 16 years and five months old. He scored 10 goals in 64 matches, numbers that might seem misleading because his impact in his last months with River was remarkable. He was a leader on the field, scoring three goals in the last five domestic matches and two goals in his last three Copa Libertadores games, with a performance and scoring instinct that caught attention and accelerated his move to Chamartín.

As the momentum waned, Xabi Alonso began to consider other options. Additionally, some of Mastantuono's actions did not help his case within the club, as they were viewed with some reservation. Among these was his argument with Alaba over taking a free kick against Getafe, which forced Militao to step in and calm him down, as well as his public display of displeasure towards his coach when he was substituted in the match against Espanyol.

But the main reason remains the decline in Franco's level. That "energy, that competitive gene" that Xavi praised and made him an important player in his eyes has faded. The decline was evident. In the Champions League, which hurts even more at Real Madrid, he has lost his starting spot since September, playing only six minutes against Juventus in the 1-0 win, and not featuring at all in the loss to Manchester City. In between, he missed two matches due to a groin injury (against Liverpool and Olympiacos). In La Liga, since being cleared to return, he has played only two minutes in Vitoria. A sharp decline.

The weak mental state, along with the technical shortcomings, was clearly evident in the Talavera match. In the 57th minute, he caught the ball with both hands, thinking it had gone out of bounds, but it hadn’t—it was about two meters from the sideline, much to everyone's surprise. This wasn’t just an isolated incident; against a La Liga team, he only took one shot and failed to complete any dribbles in 66 minutes. No offensive bite and no spark—exactly what Xavi demands him to bring back.

The competition does not come only from within Real Madrid but also from outside, as Real Madrid plans to bring back Nico Paz next June. He is another young talent (21 years old) with features similar to Mastantuono for much of his career (a left-footed player and playmaker). What is happening with the Argentine national team is a clear indicator. Lionel Scaloni was one of the first to notice this, saying, "They have different characteristics, but they play in similar positions." He has started Nico twice, both times in positions that currently threaten Mastantuono's role: as a right midfielder and as a right winger.

The competition is not limited to a future rivalry at Santiago Bernabéu; it extends to the battle for a spot in the World Cup. So far, Nico Paz's numbers clearly stand out: 1,421 minutes played with Como in Italy, during which he scored five goals and provided five assists, compared to only 756 minutes for Franco. Therefore, the year 2026 begins with two strong motivations ahead of Mastantuono: regaining the trust of Xabi Alonso and not falling behind in the competition with his fellow countryman.