Mystery grows around Real Madrid’s decision to ignore 26-year-old star with obvious quality

Real Madrid midfielder Brahim Diaz has experienced a difficult return to club football despite arriving back from international duty with strong momentum.

The attacking midfielder had been one of the standout performers during the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations. 

His performances during the tournament raised expectations that he could become an even more influential figure at Real Madrid.

However, the reality since his return to Madrid has been very different.

A troubling return

According to AS, in the last nine matches for the Spanish giants, Brahim has not started a single game. Even more striking is the amount of playing time he has received. 

Across those nine games, the midfielder has played only 165 minutes in total, which represents just 20.4% of the available minutes.

The numbers look even more concerning when focusing on the most recent matches. 

In the last five games, Brahim has played only 50 minutes, which equals just 11% of the possible time on the pitch.

This drop in involvement is surprising because it came shortly after two matches in which he made a strong impact on the team’s results.

Against Rayo Vallecano, Brahim delivered an assist and won a penalty that helped Madrid secure a 2-1 victory. Soon after, he produced the decisive pass that sealed a 2-0 win against Valencia.

Brahim Diaz’s absence is questionable. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Those performances even sparked calls from fans who wanted to see him receive more opportunities in the starting lineup. Instead, what followed was a dramatic reduction in his playing time.

No luck

Brahim played just 17 minutes against Real Sociedad and 26 minutes against Osasuna. 

In the Champions League clash against Benfica, he featured for only four minutes in the first leg and did not play at all in the second leg.

Most recently, he appeared for just three minutes against Getafe.

Looking at the squad statistics since the Africa Cup of Nations, Brahim ranks only 17th among Real Madrid players in terms of minutes played. 

To put it in perspective, according to AS, the only players behind him are several academy prospects as well as Dani Ceballos and injured players like Dani Carvajal and Rodrygo.

What makes the situation even more puzzling is Brahim’s efficiency when he does get on the pitch.

Statistically, he has contributed to a goal every 55 minutes thanks to two assists and the penalty he won during this stretch.

In a Real Madrid side that has struggled for consistency recently, many expected Brahim to emerge as a player capable of injecting creativity and energy into the attack.

Instead, his role has become one of the biggest mysteries within the squad at the moment.