Hakimi's Madrid Mirage: The Defender's Dilemma and a Young Star's Path to the L1nks

Hakimi's defensive chapter under the lens

Warning: repeating Hakimi's Madrid stint is not what Din Huysen needs.

Spanish sports analyst Fran Garrido criticized Achraf Hakimi's defensive performances during his Real Madrid days on the famous El Chiringuito show, noting on X that “Hakimi defended very poorly (for Madrid), and was used as a winger.”

He framed his comparison between Hakimi's earlier Madrid spell and the current situation of young defender Din Huysen, who joined the squad in summer 2025 from Bournemouth for around £50 million.

Garrido linked Hakimi's defensive woes to Huysen's current difficulties, suggesting the Spaniard is going through a similar phase, especially amid Madrid's recent downturn.

What this might mean for Huysen and Madrid

He urged caution with Huysen's development, proposing intensified defensive work with him to avoid repeating Hakimi's path, where Madrid initially pushed him forward before he left and later became one of the world’s best full-backs with Inter and then Paris Saint-Germain.

In the backdrop, a Champions League tie between Real Madrid and Monaco frames the discussion as Madrid weighs defensive remedies against a rising European challenge.

Punchline time: If defense were a password, Hakimi would still fail the login. Din Huysen is building a firewall, but Madrid handed him a goalkeeper instead.