Alvaro Carreras Leads Real Madrid in Minutes, Faces Cucurella Challenge

Alvaro Carreras has topped the list of Real Madrid players in terms of minutes played during the preseason, having clocked 413 minutes across five friendly matches. However, he faces stiff competition for the left-back position following the arrival of Marc Cucurella.

According to "Mundo Deportivo," Andriy Lunin came in second with 402 minutes, followed by Federico Valverde with 379 minutes, making Carreras the most involved during the pre-season, although this does not guarantee a starting position as the official season begins.

Real Madrid has signed Marc Cucurella from Chelsea for €55 million, with the possibility of adding €5 million in variables, after the club paid €50 million to Benfica a season ago to bring back Carriço.

Carriera took advantage of Cucurella's absence during the pre-season, participating against Leganés, Fiorentina, Ferencváros, Deportivo La Coruña, and Schalke, while his rival benefited from a rest period after representing Spain in the World Cup.

Marc Cucurella made his first appearance for Schalke on Sunday, coming on in the 61st minute to replace Carreras. Carreras had a standout performance, assisting Carlos Espai with a precise cross following a brilliant run.

The source indicated that Carreras has secured the first round of the competition, and he may start against Espanyol due to Cucurella's limited fitness. However, his advantage could diminish as his rival regains form, leaving the competition for the left-back position wide open.