Last season, Real Madrid found an unexpected hero in Joselu. The Whites were facing a season after the departure of Karim Benzema, who had won his first Ballon d’Or less than a year ago. It was the first season after 14 long years with the French number 9, and Madrid started the season without any major signings up front.
Or at least, that’s what it seemed at first, as Joselu was the only signing the Whites made in the attacking department to fill the vacancy left by Karim. It was a decision that was heavily criticized by the Whites’ fans, who, nine months later, could only admit their mistake and surrender to the evidence: Joselu had become an idol for Madrid fans.
The hateful comparisons between Endrick and Joselu at Real Madrid
Joselu’s performance during his first season in white was what many would define as a ‘9’ of guarantees. And this was attested to by the 17 goals he scored at the age of 34 wearing the shirt of Real Madrid. Among these goals, the double against Bayern Munich that took Madrid to the Champions League final stands out in particular.
However, after reaching the heights of the Whites, Joselu decided to say goodbye. A decision that was largely motivated by Real Madrid’s strong commitment to Endrick, whom many saw as the striker of the future and the greatest promise of Brazilian football. The young Carioca talent arrived at La Casa Blanca to fulfill that role of Joselu, but, after half a season in white, the comparisons are not entirely favorable.
Not only in terms of his goalscoring record, but also in terms of his importance to the game. For Carlo Ancelotti, Joselu was much more than just a match-winner. Despite not being a first-choice player, the Spanish striker was very important to Ancelotti’s system. This was demonstrated by the 2,100 minutes he played, spread over a total of 49 matches.
Now, in the middle of February, Endrick’s situation is very different, having played just 400 minutes, less than half of what Joselu had enjoyed on the pitch at this stage of the season last year. All this, moreover, taking into account that in many of the games he has played, he has only played between the last 5 and 10 minutes.
These figures do not reflect what is seen on the pitch
This more than clearly demonstrates that Ancelotti does not trust Endrick. Or, at least, not in the same way as he did with Joselu. However, the figures do not reflect the lack of confidence that the Italian has in the young striker, as his goal ratio is quite high considering the few opportunities he has on the pitch.
And the fact is that in those 400 minutes, many of them residual, Endrick has found the net on 5 occasions. Goals that, in some cases, have been decisive, as demonstrated by the brace against Celta de Vigo that gave the Whites qualification in the Copa del Rey round of 16. It is a fact that comparisons are always odious, as well as that Joselu set the bar very high, both on and off the pitch. However, many still cannot explain why Endrick has such a secondary role with Ancelotti… And how long he will be willing to put up with it.