When Real Madrid splashed nearly €50 million to bring Álvaro Carreras back to the club, the buzz was electric. Fans and pundits alike expected the young Spaniard to lock down the left flank for years to come. And for a while, he delivered on that promise.

Under former manager Xabi Alonso, Carreras was virtually untouchable. He started 23 of 24 appearances, becoming a staple in the starting XI. He was a key figure in big matches, racking up minutes and earning trust as the team's long-term defensive solution. It looked like a breakout season was in full swing.

But football moves fast—and so did the managerial change. When Álvaro Arbeloa took over in January, the script flipped. At first, Carreras still saw the pitch, appearing in 14 matches and starting 13. On paper, those numbers don't scream "crisis." But dig deeper, and the shift is unmistakable.

Under Alonso, Carreras played in nearly 86% of the team's matches. Under Arbeloa? That number plummeted to around 56%. The real turning point came around the Mallorca clash. With Real Madrid still chasing the La Liga title, Carreras had featured in 12 of Arbeloa's first 18 games. Then, almost overnight, he vanished from the lineup.

Over the next seven fixtures, Carreras appeared just twice. His minutes dried up, and Arbeloa began looking elsewhere for answers. What once looked like a €50 million cornerstone now feels like a forgotten piece on the bench. For a player who seemed destined for greatness just months ago, the fall has been as swift as it is surprising.