Mendy, The Slowly Occupying Marcelo's Territory

JAKARTA- Ferland Mendy was a surprise signing for Real Madrid last summer. His performances this season saw senior left-back Marcelo eliminated.

Some predicted the Frenchman would make a positive impact on his first season at the Santiago Bernabeu when he arrived from Lyon. Entering the middle of the season, he proved why Zinedine Zidane wanted him in the Los Blancos squad.

Since his arrival, Mendy has emerged as the player most guaranteed to be in the starting eleven, apart from Eden Hazard who has been injured since November.

Mendy has featured in eight of Santander's last eleven La Liga matches. Only missed one game because of punishment and the other two because Zidane rested to avoid fatigue.

The solidity that Real Madrid showed at the back was largely thanks to this Frenchman. He appears to be much more successful in defensive situations than his Brazilian counterpart.

Nacho earned praise for his winning goal against Real Valladolid last week. But if you look at it in more detail, Mendy's contribution in defense is what makes Los Blancos successful in bringing full points. He successfully thwarted Sergi Guardiola's chances who tried to equalize.

For the first time in a long time, Marcelo is faced with a serious threat at left-back which he has taken from previous Brazilian and Madrid legend, Roberto Carlos.

The statistics show their own story. The 31-year-old has featured in only 13 out of a possible 30 games. If Mendy continues to perform at the level he is today, it will be hard to imagine Marcelo reclaiming a place he has occupied for more than a decade.