English Premier League
Dean Huijsen responds to difficult Real Madrid debut season with standout display
Dean Huijsen has made an impressive start to his second season at Real Madrid after acknowledging the disappointment of his first campaign and working to rebuild his confidence and form at the Bernabeu.
According to AS, the defender recognised that his opening season had fallen below expectations. He experienced jeers from the Bernabeu crowd and was also left frustrated after missing out on the World Cup.
However, Huijsen has begun the new campaign in outstanding fashion. In Real Madrid’s 4-1 win over Real Sociedad, he was the team’s third-most frequent shooter and was heavily targeted for set-piece deliveries. He also ranked third for recovering possession, with four recoveries, while completing more passes than any other player, with 69.
The statistics underline a broader improvement in his performance. Huijsen was active inside the opposition penalty area, showed signs of recovering his defensive level and, most significantly, was chosen by manager Jose Mourinho as the central figure in building attacks from defence.
He was Real Madrid’s most involved player during the victory over Real Sociedad, participating in 92 phases of play. That put him ahead of Bernardo Silva, who was involved in 88, and well clear of Federico Valverde in third place on 69.
A significant part of Huijsen’s revival has come from his work away from the pitch. He undertook an intensive mental programme designed to restore his self-belief, regain a fighting spirit and encourage him to continue working through difficult circumstances rather than allow himself to be carried along by them.
His physical preparation has also played an important role. The summer offered a particularly valuable opportunity because players who did not take part in the World Cup were given a lengthy break of seven weeks.
Huijsen used that time to create an individual training plan and make progress physically. He trained at the Marbella Football Center, completing long sessions and, on some days, working twice. The focus was on improving his fitness and increasing his muscle mass.
That work was intended to address the frustration of the previous season. Huijsen began the campaign as an indispensable first-choice player, but ended it after losing his place to Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao.
Indeed, he played only 51% of Real Madrid’s available minutes from the international break in March last year onwards.
There has now been praise within Valdebebas for Huijsen’s physical improvement and his attitude during daily training. People at the club have described him as “looking more solid”, reflecting the progress he has made individually.
After making a strong start and overcoming a minor injury during pre-season, Huijsen has become an important player for Mourinho. He has formed a defensive wall alongside Konate and has moved ahead of Rudiger in the manager’s pecking order.
His position will become more difficult to secure when Militao returns, although that comeback is no longer considered distant but is not yet imminent either.
Huijsen is now offering Real Madrid evidence that he can correct the shortcomings of his first season. The campaign had not matched the expectations created by the €58m paid to sign him a fee that made him the most expensive defender in the club’s history.
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