Real Madrid defender returns to training with a huge challenge ahead of him

Real Madrid defender returns to training with a huge challenge ahead of him According to MARCA , Raul Asencio has returned to first-team training as he attempts to rebuild his position at Real Madrid after a difficult few months. The centre-back has returned to group training after an eventful pre-season affected by two injuries and a series of off-field issues, with a difficult task ahead of him. Asencio currently sits last in the centre-back pecking order, behind Dean Huijsen, Ibrahima Konate and Antonio Rudiger, with Eder Militao also ahead of him once the Brazilian returns to fitness. That comes after the club spent the entire summer making it clear that Asencio could leave. Eight difficult months Asencio’s return is therefore a delicate one. He effectively has to start from zero. The excitement surrounding his spectacular breakthrough into the first team has faded, while he has lost much of the advantage he had built up during his emergence. Asencio is last in Mourinho’s centre-back pecking order. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images) His decline began in February and has proved difficult to stop. He has made just nine appearances since then, leaving him almost back where he started. His return to group training on Thursday ahead of the upcoming match against Rayo represents a fresh starting point for the La Fabrica graduate. Asencio’s objective is to wipe the slate clean and rebuild his position within Jose Mourinho’s squad. A tibial fracture that began to affect Asencio at the start of the year was the first major setback. Despite the problem, he refused to step away at a difficult moment for the team and continued pushing to remain available. However, the injury severely restricted him. Then came his controversial disagreement with former manager Alvaro Arbeloa, which resulted in him being left out of several matchday squads. One problem followed another, gradually overshadowing his season and eventually putting him on the transfer list. Mourinho’s warning Off-the-pitch issues have complicated matters for Asencio. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) Pre-season and the arrival of a new manager did little to help Asencio recover his previous standing. If anything, his situation became even more complicated. Further injuries disrupted his progress, while his conviction for drink-driving created another major issue . Mourinho did not hesitate to issue a strong warning, as he said: “A Real Madrid player is a Real Madrid player 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 12 months a year. Everything you do away from the club still represents Real Madrid.” The Portuguese coach also stressed the consequences of repeated mistakes, saying: “You continue damaging the prestige of a club that is untouchable. I’m not happy. Everyone makes mistakes, but accumulated mistakes are different.” That message underlines the scale of the challenge facing Asencio. The defender now has to put the off-field controversy behind him, regain his physical condition and convince Mourinho that he deserves another opportunity.