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Ever since their inception in 1902, Real Madrid have fielded some of the greatest players in the history of the game. From Alfredo Di Stefano to Cristiano Ronaldo, multiple footballing royalties have defended the ancient crest of Los Blancos over the years.
But even for a historic club like Real Madrid, keeping a perfect track record in recruitment is understandably impossible. A hoard of underwhelming players have ended up at the Bernabeu in the past and were only awarded minimal playing time due to their sub-par skills.
Real Madrid players who played the fewest minutes last season
In Zinedine Zidane's final season with Real Madrid, the versatile Frenchman only chose a select group of players to partake in his playing eleven. Subsequently, numerous players had to bide their time on the bench.
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While Martin Odegaard and Luka Jovic accounted for the fewest minutes in the first-team due to their mid-season loans, outcast Mariano Diaz could only manage 680 minutes despite being with the club all season.
Apart from them, academy prospects like Marvin Park, Sergio Arribas and Victor Chust were among the least used Real Madrid players, with none of them crossing the 1,000 minute-mark last season. Injury-prone Eden Hazard and Alvaro Odriozola also found opportunities hard to come by, getting 896 and 958 minutes respectively.
While much of last season's selections were down to the manager's choice, many players in the squad displayed a lack of quality with respect to Real Madrid's high standards.
Even so, such names continue to be associated with the Spanish giants. On that, let's take a look at four players who should never play for Real Madrid ever again:
#4 Luka Jovic
The €60m Serbian was purchased in 2019 as a long-term replacement for the aging Karim Benzema. Luka Jovic was supposed to be Real Madrid's next number 9, leading the line from the front. Fast forward two years and Real Madrid are still relying on a 33-year-old Benzema as their primary goal-getter.
The 23-year-old target man is now valued at a meager €20m, a third of what Real Madrid paid for his services. Failing miserably to find a place for himself in his debut campaign at the Bernabeu, Jovic could only muster two goals in 17 league appearances in the 2019-20 season.
Due to his lackluster performances, Jovic was restricted to the bench with Benzema making up for his missing output.
By 2020, Real Madrid's officials had given up on the promising youngster. After just four appearances next season, he was shipped out on loan to former club Eintracht Frankfurt.
While the Serbian international did show signs of recouping his past form, Jovic still hasn't recovered from the pressures of such a big-money move. At 23, the talented number 9 still has time on his side to make something out of his career.
However, exploring his untapped potential among the countless restraints at the Bernabeu could prove impossible for Jovic. With Real Madrid still on the hunt for an adept frontman to take the mantle from Benzema's capable hands, Jovic's immediate departure could benefit both parties.
#3 Dani Ceballos
Another failed wonderkind with immense initial potential, Dani Ceballos was a highly sought-after youngster back in his Real Betis days. Having been compared to Andres Iniesta because of his distinguished playing style, Ceballos' transfer in 2017 was subject to much contention from both Real Madrid and Barcelona.
In the end, Los Blancos triumphed, signing the future superstar on a bumper six-year contract. However, nothing has gone according to plan for the Spaniard at the Bernabeu.
Signed with the long-term aim of becoming his side's chief creator in subsequent years, Ceballos has failed to even disturb the midfield dynamic at Real Madrid. With just seven-goal involvements and 2,821 outfield minutes in his first two seasons, the Spanish international was sent out on a two-year loan to Arsenal in 2019.
Since then, Ceballos has had to engage in a continuous battle against injuries and inconsistent form. From the looks of it, the former Betis midfielder has often ended up on the losing side. With the signing of Eduardo Camavinga and the emergence of Federico Valverde, Ceballos' Real Madrid career is all but over.
At 25, the 11-time capped Spaniard can still salvage his footballing journey. With Betis keen to bring back their former superstar according to Defensa Central, Real Madrid will not hesitate to cash in. Los Blancos will be better off without the unsettled playmaker on their books, especially considering they now have decent depth in midfield.
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#2 Lucas Vazquez
The quintessential utility man, it feels like Lucas Vazquez has been with Real Madrid since the dawn of time. Making his first appearance at the Bernabeu in 2015, the former La Fabrica graduate is still an integral member of the team, six years on. However, his extended run with the senior squad should be a concerning signal for Real Madrid regarding their depth.
Having failed to find an adept right-back to play second fiddle to the evergreen Dani Carvajal, numerous managers have continued to deputize Vazquez in defence.
While the Spaniard is primarily known for his offensive exploits, a lack of specialty in any part of the field has allowed him to play sub-par roles in different positions for Real Madrid, time and time again.
With Alvaro Odriozola departing the Bernabeu for the second loan spell of his Real Madrid career, Carlo Ancelotti only has Vazquez as a proven option on the right flank.
Nevertheless, encouraging mediocre players to gain more than 240 appearances for the club stands directly against Los Blancos' motto. Ideally, Florentino Perez should dump Lucas Vazquez and look for an adept right-back to cover for Carvajal as soon as possible.
#1 Mariano Diaz
Debatably, Real Madrid's third-choice target man, Mariano Diaz's return to his boyhood club has been a certified disaster. Considering his immense potential, Los Blancos handed him jersey number 7 in 2018, vacated by the outgoing Cristiano Ronaldo.
Having scored 21 goals and laid out a further six assists in his solitary season with Olympique Lyon, Real Madrid's decision to buy him back for €21.5m seemed brilliant at the time.
Nevertheless, things have taken a turn for the worse in the following three seasons. The Dominican striker has only mustered an appalling 1,510 minutes since his return. In his Real Madrid career, Mariano has netted a meager 11 strikes in 62 appearances, a far cry from his Lyon days.
The fact that both of Real Madrid's backup strikers are eligible for a list like this is a concerning situation for the 34-time La Liga champions. Jovic and Mariano have failed to prove their worth as Benzema's deputies. Aged 28, the one-capped Dominican international is clearly the worst of the two flops.
As a result, Los Blancos are in dire need of some fresh recruits who can lead their attack. However, in order to add someone to their ranks, Real Madrid desperately need to ensure that players like Mariano never don their historic jersey ever again.
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