One Dean Huijsen Stat Should Have Real Madrid Worried After Atlético Red Card
Dean Huijsen has made a strong start to the new season, but one alarming disciplinary trend has emerged since his arrival at Real Madrid — and his latest red card has brought it back into focus.
Dean Huijsen’s red card against Atlético Madrid proved to be a major turning point in Real Madrid’s 2-1 derby defeat, but the incident has also highlighted a worrying statistic surrounding the young centre-back.
Huijsen had been performing well before being sent off at the Metropolitano. However, his dismissal came after he brought down Giuliano Simeone as the last defender inside the penalty area, leaving Real Madrid with 10 men and ultimately changing the course of the match.
A dramatic change since joining Real Madrid
The most concerning part, according to The Real Champs, is Huijsen’s red-card record.
Before joining Real Madrid, the Spain international had never been sent off in 122 appearances for Roma, Juventus and Bournemouth.
Since arriving at Madrid, however, he has already collected three red cards in just 52 games.
That represents a dramatic change in his disciplinary record and has raised questions about a recurring problem in his decision-making when defending dangerous situations.
The same mistake keeps appearing
What makes the statistic particularly notable is that all three dismissals have followed a similar pattern.
Huijsen was sent off against Borussia Dortmund at the Club World Cup after committing a last-man foul that also resulted in a penalty.
He then saw red against Real Sociedad in LaLiga after another last-man challenge outside the box, although The Real Champs notes that the decision itself was questionable because Huijsen was arguably not the final defender.
Against Atlético, the pattern appeared once again.
This time, Huijsen committed the foul inside the penalty area while trying to stop Simeone from getting through on goal. The referee showed him a straight red, leaving Real Madrid to play the majority of the second half with 10 men.
Real Madrid will want this trend to stop
The statistic does not erase the progress Huijsen has made.
The 21-year-old defender has been one of Real Madrid’s regular starters this season and had received praise for his performances, including an impressive display against Real Betis earlier in September.
His performances have also been reflected in his statistical numbers. Before the Atlético match, Huijsen had started four LaLiga matches and one Champions League game for Madrid, playing 450 minutes in the league and another 90 against Inter.
But the repeated nature of his dismissals is something the club will need to address.
None of the three challenges were described as cynical tackles. The concern instead lies in Huijsen repeatedly putting himself in situations where a last-man foul can leave the referee with little choice but to produce a red card.
For a Real Madrid defender, that can prove extremely costly.
Huijsen remains a highly important part of Mourinho’s defence, but if this particular trend continues, avoiding unnecessary last-man fouls will become an increasingly important part of his development.
