Young Castilla side start preseason with defeat

Castilla's pre-season kicked off with a defeat to Xerez on Wednesday night.

In truth, there isn’t much to report in terms of performance. Missing much of his first choice with the senior side, Raul used the game to trial some Juvenil A and B players to see his options for next season. There were 13 debuts in the team with seven subs made in one go during the second half.

Castilla conceded early in the first quarter and were 2-0 down come the 10th minute. Hugo Vallejo converted a penalty in the 36th minute but Castilla didn’t have enough guilt edged opportunities to get back into the game.

In terms of star performers, Ivan Morante had a great display from defensive midfield and Juvenil B’s Rafael Obrador also showed his quality. Some exciting prospects like Bruno Igelsias, Israel Salazar and David de la Vibora all came off the bench to get good game time. You’d expect the former duo to play a role with Castilla this season after standout performances with the U-19s last year.

Leganes are next up on Saturday. Expect another reshuffle in the lineup and madness from the bench at some stage. The match should be available on Real Madrid TV for those interested in tuning in.