Güler faces a big challenge at Real Madrid: talent alone is not enough

It seems that Arda Güler faces a new challenge at Real Madrid, as his participation against Atlético and the decision to substitute him during the derby have reopened the discussion about his ability to impose himself in big matches, despite the consensus on his significant development and increasing status within the team.

The Turkish star was given the chance to start in the Madrid derby, even ahead of new signing Diomand, the most expensive transfer in Real Madrid's history. However, Dean Huijsen's red card forced José Mourinho to quickly rearrange his tactics, making Güler one of the casualties of the tactical change, alongside Vinicius Junior.

According to the analysis published by AS, Güler's exit from the match has brought back questions about his ability to be a decisive and reliable player in major matches, and not just a player with technical talent and exceptional skills on the ball.

The comparison with Guti, one of the most skilled players in Real Madrid's history, highlights similarities in playing style, left-footed touch, and the ability to pass and create opportunities. However, Guti's career itself carries an important lesson, as the player struggled to secure the expected role in several major final matches, despite possessing exceptional talent.

Guti scored 77 goals and provided 97 assists during his time at Real Madrid, but his participation in some crucial matches remained limited, which makes the comparison with Güler a cautionary tale for the Turkish player, who is still just 21 years old.

The numbers indicate that Güler has scored 19 goals and provided 28 assists with Real Madrid, and he has successfully moved up the ranking of options in midfield, especially with the coach relying on him as one of the solutions in the center of the pitch.

The report highlights a problem regarding his reduced impact in crucial matches. Güler has been a substitute in the seven finals he has participated in, not featuring in three of them, and has only started two out of eight Clásicos since joining the team in 2023, as well as just three out of nine derbies.

The numbers reveal another aspect, as Güler has played only 10 full matches out of 119 appearances, despite the physical development he has shown recently.

Former Real Madrid star Luka Modrić provides a model for Güler to benefit from at Real Madrid. The Croatian star scored 43 goals and provided 95 assists for the club, and he was consistently present in major finals, having participated in five UEFA Champions League finals, only starting from the bench against Borussia Dortmund.

Güler has played alongside Luka Modrić on the pitch in 43 matches, totaling 1,479 minutes. This experience has given the Turkish player a rare opportunity to learn from one of Real Madrid's most experienced players in big matches.

The challenge for Güler remains clear: to transform his immense technical talent into a more consistent and impactful presence in crucial matches, so that his career does not stop at being a talented player, but evolves into that of one of Real Madrid's historical stars.