The journey of Jeremy de León at Real Madrid has been, to say the least, unusual. A year after his arrival from Castellón, the Puerto Rican player finds himself in a puzzling position. Despite having a Champions League title to his name, his impact at Real Madrid Castilla has been minimal. 

A Difficult Start 

Jeremy arrived at Valdebebas during the 2024 winter transfer window amidst high expectations. The plan was clear: to strengthen Castilla and help the team climb out of the lower ranks while staying in the sights of the first team. However, things didn’t go as planned. Since his debut on January 28, 2024, Jeremy has only managed 195 minutes across eight matches, with just one start in a game where Castilla had nothing at stake.

A Brief Spark with the First Team

Despite his limited role at Castilla, Ancelotti called on Jeremy in special circumstances. During last season’s Champions League campaign, with the reserve team fighting relegation, the Italian coach refrained from taking key Castilla players and included Jeremy in first-team squads. He traveled with the team for the second leg of the quarterfinals against Manchester City, where the team achieved a miraculous victory. From that point on, Jeremy accompanied the squad to Munich and the grand final in London, becoming a symbolic presence despite not being registered to play.

A Stalled Career

The preseason with the first team in the United States seemed like the perfect opportunity for Jeremy to earn more playing time at Castilla. However, injuries have hindered his progress. An ankle injury in August sidelined him, and after his return, he only managed 25 minutes across four matches before suffering another setback—a shoulder injury that required surgery in November. Since then, he has not returned to the pitch, and his future remains uncertain.

First-Year Stats

The numbers highlight Jeremy de León's struggles during his debut season with Real Madrid. Out of 38 possible matches with Castilla, he appeared in only 11 (29%), accumulating just 220 minutes out of 3,420 available (6%). While winning a Champions League with the first team is an unusual achievement for a youth player, his on-field contributions have been limited.

With months of recovery ahead, Jeremy faces the challenge of turning his situation around and proving he has what it takes to shine at Valdebebas. The road will be tough, but there’s still time for the young Puerto Rican to rewrite his story and live up to the expectations that surrounded him upon joining the club.