Real Madrid’s victory against Braga enabled the white team to qualify for the last 16 rounds of the Champions League. But it also served to: Carlo Ancelotti He is encouraged to make his debut with the first young player of the season. He is from Argentina and lives up to his name. Nico Paz.
Nico Paz He took the field instead at Santiago Bernabéu. Fede ValverdeIn a window of two substitutions, Joselu replaced striker Rodrygo. As always with debuts, the white stadium greeted him with a standing ovation.
Who is Nico Paz?
But who Nico Paz? “He’s great, he should train with us all the time.” These were the words of Toni Kroos about the then young white player who dazzled everyone who watched him in the summer. The 19-year-old young white player won the heart of Carlo Ancelotti, who missed the opportunity to take him on the American tour after the injuries of his teammates and Dani Ceballos, and gave him his first half hour with the senior team. Against AC Milan in the first pre-season test.
Big project feeling
There is a general atmosphere in the club regarding Nico Paz. He will be a star. Although the 19-year-old Spanish-Argentinian shares the same generation with highly talented players such as Manuel Ángel (already an under-19 international) or Gonzalo García, He established himself as the absolute leader of the Arbeloa Juvenile A team, with which he won three championships. (League, Cup and Champions Cup) and started and added 14 matches for Raúl’s Castilla, scoring three goals and an assist at 1°RFEF, with spectacular performances in venues such as El Arcángel Stadium in Córdoba. This helped him start in the play-offs against FC Barcelona B and Eldense to move up to Second place. Important words for the white team.
Young Spanish-Argentine midfielder, A talented and technical playmaker, he attracts attention as soon as you see him with his subtle and refined quality. He played as a right winger in Raúl’s match against Castilla and also showed that he had the ability to dribble, carry and score. In fact, a future as a long-term and physical interior is envisaged (Although he is 18 years old, he is already 1.85 tall and weighs 79 kilos).
He has a contract until 2027It seems difficult to make room in a first team that will regularly add seven midfielders this season (plus Arda Güler, who plays in his area of action), but he already looks to have surpassed other players such as Álvaro Rodríguez. preferably in Ancelotti order, Last year he was amazed by the young man’s talent and called him up for the first time in the Copa del Rey last 32 match against Cacereño.In addition to having counted several training sessions during the last campaign, he seems to be indulging at every opportunity.
Who is Nico Paz and why did he earn this spot on the Madrid tour?
Born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on September 8, 2004, Nicolás Paz Martínez was not born on the island of Chicharrera by chance. His father is legendary Argentine international defender Pablo Paz, who won a medal in Atlanta in 1996 and later made his mark in Spain with CD Tenerife, Real Valladolid and CD Lugo, making his mark on the island team. It is the place where his son will be born, to whom he will pass on his passion for football. Nico’s first steps were in local clubs in the Canary Islands until he signed for the youth team of CD Tenerife.
Real Madrid would enter Infantil B and knock on their door in 2016. Since then, his progress through all the lower categories of the white club has been unstoppable until he reached Álvaro Arbeloa’s Juvenile A team, where he absolutely began to explode. He stands out as an outstanding midfielder and cements his new status as the great flag bearer of La Fábrica.
This fact caused a conflict between the Spanish National Team and the Argentine National Team to guarantee the player’s international future. Until Lionel Scaloni decided to include him in the preliminary list of 44 players for the World Cup in Qatar. This worked in the player’s favor and showed that he was closer to the elite than many could have predicted. still playing Javier Mascherano’s Under-20 team The team he played with in the South American Championship in Colombia in January, However, an exit seems to be on the horizon in the very short term.
But the 2022/23 season was not just his rise within the Argentine National Team hierarchy. However, Nico Paz was the young player who burned the most stages this season and seemed closest to the A team. Already in 2021/22, Raúl offered him an alternative in the victory against Andorra in Alfredo Di Stéfanobut this year he became a regular as a reserve team coach.
He scored six goals in nine matches for Real Madrid Castilla in the Primera RFEF this season. His leading numbers, which he also garnished with an assist.
Nico, who was key to Juvenil A treble success, was thought to have already surpassed that ceiling and began training with the first team with Castilla after the return of the South American U-20, thus enabling him to move to Cáceres. He competes alone with the Arbeloa team in finals and major events. Called to replace Sergio Arribas at Castilla in terms of leadership and football development always supervised by a pulseless Raúl to make room for himself in the eleven type and to recommend it to “Carletto,” who undoubtedly takes notice.
Made his debut against the seven-time European champions
On the contrary Midfield is currently Real Madrid’s most crowded position. Ancelotti put him on a plane for the American tour and not only that, the young playmaker made his first team debut in a friendly against AC Milan. He came on in place of Jude Bellingham and, as Ancelotti commented, would add a half-hour game in which he left details of his quality, energy and stride, despite it being his debut and playing in a scheme that is still in the shooting stages. And he repeated it against Manchester United: Vinicius arrives with twenty minutes left.
In those weeks, Nico Paz experienced feeling like a first team player and enjoy the quality of players like Luka Modric or Toni Kroos who seem to have sponsored him. It is difficult to find a place in a crowded midfield, but you’ll still be able to take advantage of opportunities that will make your fans fall in love with you. To earn a privileged place for the Real Madrid of the future. At this moment he has already taken the first step: exit.