THE WAITING GAME – What has happened to Nuri Sahin?

By Alex Grant

Real Madrid’s start to the 2011/12 La Liga campaign has been impressive, although not quite flawless.

As it stands the only team looking flawless are the high-flying surprise package Levante, unbeaten and topping the table.

Mourinho’s men however, do look much improved from last term’s squad that fell just short of mounting a serious title challenge to Barcelona, having to finally settle for the lesser Copa del Rey crown.

The Portuguese coach bought well during the summer and has blended the new faces into the existing set of players who now seem to getting close to their undeniable world-class potential.

Karim Benzema looks to be firing on all cylinders finally, Gonzalo Higuain is his usual prolific self and of course Cristiano Ronaldo strutting his stuff as standard for a man with such talent.

Even Kaka this season seems to have been unleashed from the shackles of expectation heaped onto him and now looks to be enjoying himself.

However, there remains one player who has struggled to make the headlines since his much-hyped move to the Bernabeu during the summer.

German- born Turkish international Nuri Sahin.

Having been crowned Kicker’s 2010-2011 Bundesliga player of the season for his achievements with Borussia Dortmund, much was said about the talented playmaker, and it did not take the Spanish giants long to recognize his potential.

Los blancos sealing his name to a six year contract with Real Madrid after the rumored modest fee of 10 million euros was agreed between the two clubs.

A knee problem hindered Sahin’s pre season and since then he has been working to regain fitness and prove his worth to Mourinho, who still feels there is work to be done on the training ground before he makes his full debut.

In a recent press conference, Mourinho stated that Sahin had requested to start last night’s game at Real Sociedad but was quick to explain why this would not happen.

“He is doing his pre-season now.”  Said Mourinho. “He has to rediscover his form and fitness so he can give me options. I cannot see him playing straight away.

“Physically and mentally Sahin is at pre-season levels and he needs to train well.”

The Madrid manager then insisted that Sahin was a player with plenty of time ahead of him as far as starting games was concerned, but the anticipation and delay must surely be getting to the young Turkish midfielder now.

His ability is obviously unquestionable having helped guide Dortmund to the Bundesliga title, but with the current star-studded line up at Madrid it is perhaps difficult to see where Sahin will feature.

Players such as Xabi Alonso, Lassana Diarra, Angel Di Maria and Mesut Özil have proved influential figures so far in La Liga and Europe.

Squad rotation is likely to be Sahin’s best opportunity to really get his name up in lights but the rest of the squad have certainly hit the ground running so the bar has been set high for the diminutive trickster.

Will he be able to prove his ability and fitness to a man with such high standards at Europe’s most illustrious football club?

Next comes a tricky away fixture to Lyon, but a win in that game will see Madrid all but through the group stages, leaving the remaining two games against Ajax and Dinamo Zagreb in Group D almost mere formalities.

The perfect opportunity for Nuri Sahin to finally get into the action?

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