Can Hakimi mirror Carvajal's transition from Germany to Real Madrid to dethrone Spaniard?

 

Dani Carvajal has been on the Real Madrid books since 2002. Joining from ADCR Leman's, the Spaniard has worked his way up through the youth team ranks to establish himself as first choice right-back for Los Blancos, though a heart condition minimised his playing time in 2017/18. 

 

There was, however, a sole season away from Spain that allowed Carvajal to showcase his talent and prove he was worthy of a regular spot in the Real Madrid XI. In 2012, Carvajal joined Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen for a rumoured €5m having not made a single appearance for Los Blancos. Real Madrid had a buyback clause set at €6.5m if they wanted to re-sign him after a solitary season in Germany, which, given his excellent performances in 2012/13, they gladly did. 

 

"Real Madrid noticed the outstanding performances by Dani this season, and it was only a matter of time before they exercised their buy-back option," Bayer Leverkusen director of football Rudi Voller said in June 2013. The previous campaign Real Madrid used a total of six players at right-back, ranging from Alvaro Arbeloa, to Michael Essien, to Jose Callejon. 

 

Yet from 2013 to the present day, Carvajal has been first choice right-back for the Spanish giants when fit and it's largely down to that solitary stunning season with Bayer Leverkusen. Bayern Munich may have romped to the Bundesliga title in Jupp Heynckes' final campaign at the Allianz Arena before Pep Guardiola took over the reins, but in the race to be deemed the best of the rest; it was Bayer Leverkusen who ran Borussia Dortmund closest. 

 

 

Die Werkself finished just one place and one point behind Dortmund in Germany's top tier, with Carvajal crucial. Only Stefan Kießling (8.02) earned a better WhoScored rating than the Spain international (7.72) of all Bayer Leverkusen players, with Carvajal doing enough to occupy the right-back spot in the Bundesliga team of the season. 

 

That league campaign remains his best-rated in his career, with 2019/20 (7.28) coming closest to matching that superb breakthrough season. The fine Bundesliga rating was attained largely due to Carvajal's remarkable attacking output as he broke forward with aplomb. Indeed, he made more key passes (47) than any other defender in Germany's top tier in 2012/13, while seven assists was also one of the better returns in the Bundesliga. 

 

Defensively sound, too, only Oliver Sorg (241) made more tackles and interceptions combined than Carvajal (229) in the Bundesliga that season as the full-back made the most of his regular first team chances that ultimately convinced Real Madrid he was best suited to continuing his development in Spain. 

 

And while his attacking output was nowhere near the same as it was in his sole campaign in Germany - Carvajal had a direct hand in just four league goals in his first senior season in Spain - he was rightly considered the long-term solution to their right-back issues. His 136 tackles tackles and interceptions combined, a return only Sergio Ramos (147) bettered, saw him maintain his fine defensive resolve as he and left-back Marcelo formed a solid full-back partnership that ultimately helped Los Blancos to be crowned Champions League winners in 2014 at the expense of fierce rivals Atletico Madrid. 

 

Now 28, though, Real Madrid are in a position where they can consider their long-term right-back options once more and it may be that Los Blancos follow a similar path to the one they have previously walked to bolster this side of their defence. 

 

Can Hakimi mirror Carvajal's transition from Germany to Real Madrid to dethrone Spaniard?

 

Achraf Hakimi's two-year stint in Germany is drawing to a close and the Moroccan's fine form with Borussia Dortmund has drawn ample adulation from across the continent. Indeed, Chelsea for example have been credited with an interested in Hakimi, while Dortmund would surely jump at the chance to keep the 21-year-old in the Bundesliga. 

 

Hakimi is one of four players to register double figures for assists from open play in Europe's top five leagues this season and while he has been deployed in a more advanced wing-back role than Carvajal played with Bayer Leverkusen in 2012/13, the young defender has maximised his attacking output to establish himself as one of the most feared full-backs on the continent. 

 

Unlike Carvajal, though, Hakimi had already enjoyed first team experience with Real Madrid before his loan switch to Dortmund and that stood him in fine stead to improve accordingly with regular game time under the watchful eye of Lucien Favre. Hakimi's defensive output in Germany may be lower than that of Carvajal's during his sole season - across his two seasons, the Morocco international has made just 131 tackles and interceptions combined - but that is largely due to Hakimi being used further upfield. 

 

It's a position he has excelled in as his 2.2 successful dribbles per game in the Bundesliga shows, that in itself as slight rise in Carvajal's 1.9 per league match. And while Hakimi is averaging just 0.9 key passes per game in the Bundesliga, a huge dip on Carvajal (1.5), this season alone, the Dortmund loanee has increased that to 1.2 key passes per game, which has helped him surpass Carvajal's assist return in a single campaign. 

 

Either way, Real Madrid fans are eager to see Hakimi back at the Bernabeu and for good reason. Carvajal's best years may not be behind him, but the on-loan right-back is the long-term solution for Los Blancos in the position and it may now be that Hakimi emulates the Spaniard in enjoying success in Germany before holding down the right-back spot for Real Madrid, dethroning Carvajal in the process.

Can Hakimi mirror Carvajal's transition from Germany to Real Madrid to dethrone Spaniard?