Zidane selects Marvin Park: A footballer with the feet of a sprinter

Marvin Olewala Akinlabi Park will make his first start for Real Madrid, as Zinedine Zidane has continued to show faith in the 20-year-old.

Having joined Real Madrid in 2016 as a first-year youth player, Marvin is now on the cusp of being a regular feature in the senior squad with Los Blancos.

"He is a footballer with the feet of a sprinter," Alvaro Benito, who coached Marvin, said.

"Marvin is one of the fastest players I have ever seen. For his logical development, maybe as a winger he doesn't have enough qualities to be able to excel in professional football, but if he acquires defensive concepts, he can be an excellent wing-back and a good full-back, because coming from deep with an open pitch he surprises quite well."

This is what Zidane expects from the Castilla player, who first caught his eye during the September friendly against Tuesday night's opponents, Getafe. A few days later he played away at Real Sociedad.

That was followed by a spell away from the first-team squad, but Marvin returned to the senior side for last weekend's win at Huesca, where he replaced Ferland Mendy and played at right wing-back, where Raul Gonzalez has also tried him out.