Bernabéu Stadium: Has the number 7 shirt found its rightful owner?
(Baonghean.vn) - For Real Madrid fans, the question of which player will wear the number 7 shirt is even more important than who will be the head coach of "The White Eagles". Before this season, the three players who wore the number 7 shirt at Santiago Bernabéu had won a combined total of 14 La Liga titles, 7 Champions League titles, and scored 911 goals. And now, that number is inherited by Mariano.
One thing is certain,At Real Madrid, the number 7 is not simply "just a shirt number." It's the number Cristiano Ronaldo wore for eight years out of his nine years at Real Madrid, his first year wearing the number 9. Before that, Raul Gonzalez wore that number for 16 years. And before Raul? Emilio Butragueno wore it for 12 years. The number 7 shirt at Real Madrid is a dream, an honor for any player, and holds a very special meaning.
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Mariano started the season with 9 shots and 6 goals, an incredibly impressive number. Photo: Internet |
25-year-old Mariano has a Dominican Republic father but was born in Catalonia. Like many other children, Mariano's childhood was filled with admiration for Ronaldo "the Alien," Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, and Samuel Eto'o, all stars of Barcelona. However, his playing career became intertwined with the Catalan rivals. In 2011, Real Madrid brought him in to play for their C and Castilla teams from the third-division club Badalona.
In the 2016/17 season, coach Zinedine Zidane gave him 14 appearances and he scored 5 goals. At the end of that season, he was sold to Lyon for €8 million, with a buy-back clause of €23 million in the summer of 2018. Last season, he scored 21 goals for Lyon, with a shooting accuracy rate of 58%. Across all competitions, he took 132 shots, 60 of which were on target.
In fact, Lyon had intended to sell Mariano to Sevilla for 35 million euros, but coach Lopetegui decided to bring him to Madrid after Ronaldo moved to Juventus. His return to the Santiago Bernabéu stadium showcased his lethal finishing ability with minimal touches, captivating Real Madrid fans. Previously, in the 2016/2017 season, Mariano had taken a total of 8 shots, 5 of which resulted in goals; now, that statistic has risen to 9 shots and 6 goals – an incredibly impressive number.
According to90 minIf Mariano is lucky, his goal tally could be even higher. In the 2017/18 season, he was denied a goal by the crossbar seven times. That's even more than Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane, who was the unluckiest player in the Premier League last year with six shots hitting the crossbar or post.
Scoring the goal that sealed the 3-0 victory against AS Roma was his ninth goal and his first in the Champions League. Real Madrid's number 7, Mariano Diaz, has created an impressive scoring rate with his shots.NewspaperASStatistics show that Mariano scores a goal for the Madrid club every 54 minutes. To date, the Dominican striker has only played 342 minutes. Mariano's direct attacking style and quick finishing seem to perfectly suit the style of play that Lopetegui is implementing for Real. Number 7 Mariano plays like a true killer in the penalty area, making much better use of the opportunities created by the midfield. This is something that Karim Benzema, after years of serving Cristiano Ronaldo, has lost – the goal-scoring instinct of a true center forward.
Watching Mariano warm up on the sidelines, fans were reminded of Hugo Sanchez, the Real Madrid player who once scored 38 goals in a single La Liga season, all with one-touch finishes. Simple, but exceptionally effective. Gerald Baticle, Lyon's assistant coach, commented: "When he has the ball at his feet, unlike others who look for a place to pass, Mariano's first thought is to find a shooting angle."
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| Mariano maintained his form while playing for Real Madrid. Photo: Internet |
He scored a goal for his national team in a match against Haiti U21 in March 2013. However, he decided not to play for the CONCACAF team, hoping to represent Spain. If Mariano maintains his current form for Real Madrid, that day will not be far off.
It's still too early to say whether Real's current number 7 can be compared to the "legendary number 7s of the Bernabéu" like Butragueno, Raul Gonzalez, or most recently Cristiano Ronaldo. But Mariano's goal-scoring rate from long-range shots is gradually giving Madridistas confidence. One thing is certain: Coach Lopetegui will carefully consider his options when choosing Mariano, Lucas Vazquez, or Karim Benzema whenever Real are struggling and need a goal.
