Jose Mourinho is closely monitoring Sergio Martinez’s development at Real Madrid despite the midfielder yet to make his competitive first-team debut, according to Spanish newspaper AS.
The club are pleased with Martinez’s adaptation and recent performances for Real Madrid Castilla, who play in Spain’s third division. Mourinho attended Castilla’s match against Atletico Madrid B at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium on Friday evening, watching the hosts secure victory during the international break.
Martinez produced a steady display in that game, although his performance was not considered particularly outstanding. He had a greater impact in the U20 Intercontinental Cup against Santiago Wanderers at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, where more than 50,000 spectators were present. Mourinho was also in attendance to assess Martinez and other Real Madrid academy players.
Real Madrid signed the midfielder from Racing Santander this summer for 3 million euros. His initial role was to play regularly for Castilla, but he was also told that the first-team staff would continue to follow his progress and that he could be given opportunities to compete at a higher level.
Martinez had already shown considerable ability during several years at Racing Santander. His decision to join Castilla therefore surprised some observers, given the move represented a step down in terms of competitive level.
The player, however, recognised that the chance to join Real Madrid might come only once and understood that Mourinho would assess him closely.
AS says Real Madrid have lacked a midfielder with some of Martinez’s qualities since Toni Kroos’s departure. There is currently no obvious place for him in the senior side, but opportunities can develop unexpectedly. The club’s history includes Raul as a notable example of a player who emerged in such circumstances.
Mourinho demonstrated his interest from the beginning. Martinez trained with the first team during the manager’s first two sessions after arriving at Valdebebas and was then named in the squad for Real Madrid’s away fixture against Real Betis.
At a news conference before that match, Mourinho said: “Tomorrow he will be on the bench, which should give you a general idea of our plans. Before signing him, we had already analyzed him thoroughly.”
He added: “He is a young player with potential who had some experience in the Segunda Division and played for Racing Santander at the beginning of this season. He has potential but still needs to work hard. The quality and intensity of football here are different, but he is already here.”
Asked whether Martinez could make his debut, Mourinho said: “As for whether he can play, we’ll see. But being able to travel with us for the match is already a step forward.”
Martinez did not feature against Real Betis. Real Madrid played well overall but missed several chances and eventually lost, with the midfielder’s omission possibly influenced by the match’s course.
As more midfielders returned to the squad, Martinez was not involved in the first-team plans again. Internally, though, Real Madrid continue to value his progress and adjustment to both the club and Castilla.
Martinez has made 5 appearances for Castilla, starting the last 4, and is becoming an increasingly important member of the squad. Mourinho continues to follow his performances closely.
