AS: Mastantono knows he has fallen short of expectations and hopes to move on after getting over his injury

According to "AS" report, Mastantono knows that he has not yet met expectations, and he admitted that he has not yet shown the level he should have. He admitted that he felt the impact of the injury, but as the pain gradually disappeared, he issued a challenge: "Now my level will start to improve", Mastantono said firmly in the El Larguero program. This is a promise, an open challenge.

Tomorrow will be his fifth month of feeling unwell. That nagging groin injury, like Yamal, he also suffered when he was 18 years old. The pain started on June 22, in the second game of the Club World Cup (River Plate vs. Monterrey). Because this is a complex injury, some resolve within a few weeks while others may take months. Some need more rest, some less, it varies.

Mastantono kept persevering, but never fully recovered. Some days the pain subsides to the point where it's almost gone and he can enjoy football. But there were other days when the pain felt like he was carrying a rock, it was torture. He has missed 17 potential games starting on June 22.

He felt pain against Inter Milan and also in Real Madrid's first training session. However, feeling Alonso's huge faith in him at the start of the season gave him a shot in the arm. It was like a springboard that allowed him to put in extra effort. He kept going, holding on as long as he could.

Until the game against Atletico Madrid, he had started five of seven games. But everything changed in the Madrid derby when he became a substitute... and took a step back. He started just four of the next eight games, but more importantly: he did not play in El Clasico and was absent from the squad twice due to injury.

Because he could no longer hold on. On the eve of Anfield's away game against Liverpool, Mastantono was officially diagnosed with a groin injury and was ordered to rest. Mastantono said frankly: "It's time to stop and recover... In order to reach 100% condition, the club requires this."

Eighteen days have passed since then. After not playing for nearly three weeks, he did not force himself at all, but followed a very detailed personalized plan. It's paying off, as the groin injury is improving and people around him are excited for him to return to the field. The exact return date is still unknown, but the pain is definitely decreasing significantly.

Mastantuono's desire to get rid of the pain and return to the game has begun to show. He admits he is not yet at the level expected of him - a level that would justify the €63.2m fee Real Madrid paid for him - but he promises to get there and feels his moment is coming. Regain his original position and regain an important position on the right wing.

He has played a total of 689 minutes this season, making him the player with the tenth most appearances on the team. With just one goal (vs. Levante) and one assist (vs. Almaty), this performance is below expectations. This is a fact that no one avoids, including himself, and this is the crux of the matter.

He longs for redemption, this is his moment, and there will be no interruptions in national team games until March. Now, an intensive schedule is about to begin, during which Mastantono wants to keep moving forward. He knew this was what he was supposed to do, and once the pain was gone, he could do it. He will begin his second attempt.