Being Morata at the time of Cristiano Ronaldo

Not even the biggest supporter of Real Madrid would have ever imagined to be again in the semi-final of Champions three years later, and after winning two of the last three finals against their cousin team Atletico. Most likely not even Alvaro Morata would have imagined that he would be sold and repurchased by the club he loves in only three years: in 2014 he won “la Decima” with the merengues which Real had waited for twelve years, practically in those times

Morata had not even started playing football. However, despite his success and the class proven by Alvaro, both while playing for Juventus following Allegri’s orders and this season playing for Real, it is not easy to be Morata when you play in the same team as prodigies such as Ronaldo and Benzema.

What a coincidence, he will play the next derby of Champions between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid: in the final in Lisbon, in which Morata was present, the merengues won 4-1 after the extra time, while last year in Milan, Real was only able to win after the penalty kicks. The competition against Atletico is always special for Alvaro, considering that the talent born in Madrid started his football career in the files of the colchoneros.

However, this year after a good start Morata has often been the second option amongst Zidane’s choices: while at the time in which Mourinho and Ancelotti where in charge the Spanish talent had yet to demonstrate most of his talent, the same thing cannot be said anymore. Born in ’92, Morata has already won a Champions League, 2 championships with Juve and several national and international trophies. Last summer he was chosen as the main striker of the Spanish national team, “la Roja”, also thanks the horrible year Diego Costa had.

Therefore, Morata can be considered one of the strongest strikers out there, especially if one takes into account the wide margin of improvement in front of him. It is true that if you are in the same team as someone as Cristiano Ronaldo, you also have to play on the left in order to leave the Portuguese champion the centre of the attack when Mister Zizou calls.

This umpteenth and historic semi-final match of Champions could be Morata’s perfect opportunity to reassure one more time the need to be considered a first-string, and no longer the twelfth man who can change games from one moment to the other. Having kept a goal average rate higher than Ronaldo and Messi in 2013/2014, the Spanish striker’s career has come to a juncture in which Alvaro has to be able to decide his future independently: a future that, judging by the present, can become one of the rosiest futures seen in the recent past. Conte is waiting for him if Madrid allows it.