Arda Guler fought Turkish Messi under Carlo Ancelotti last season, but the 20-year-old enjoys the arrival of an Italian alternative.
BBC Sport examines the rise, fall and resuscitation of players who are talented enough to become one of the best in the world.
2024-25: The Gulers lost the season
Last year, at the time, Guler seemed ready to play an important role in actual midfield rebirth.
The former Fennelverse starlet finished his first season in Spain with a great style, scoring six goals in just 10 LA League appearances, winning his team's title. Guler continued to be impressed with Türkiye at the Euro 2024, particularly for the purposes of tournament attendance.
At that moment he seemed ready to kick the footsteps of real teammates, including Vinicius Jr., Fede Valvade and Eduardo Kamavavavavia.
But that didn't happen. Instead, 2024-25 has become a lost season.
Ancelotti rarely trusts him in big games, but his lack of importance was highlighted when he was an unused replacement for both legs in the quarterfinals to Arsenal in the Real S-Champions League. Guler finished the season in under 1,800 minutes. This achieved the second lowest balance (except for long-term injuries) in all competitions, in order to spark speculation that they wanted to resume through the Madrid abandonment.
But then, Ancelotti's departure, Alonso's appointment, and so far no one has benefited more than Guler.
"Would you like to replace the Modric in the center?"
Part of the problem with Galler establishing himself under Ancelotti was uncertainty about his best position.
The young man saw between the central role and the right anchorage. This also led to a comparison with Lionel Messi. Because he can shoot, create or create using his cultivated left foot on the inside. Guler himself discovered that he prefers to play where there are more ways to touch the ball and affect the game.
Alonso agrees that the player needs to be close to the ball and chooses him in this role in the last two group games of Real, via Luca Modrick, Danise Meboros, Brahimdiaz and Pachuca and RB Salzburg.
Guler gave his wishes and answered with two great performances. After scoring his second goal against Pachuca, he also contributed to the Austrian downs, completing more passports on the field than any other player in his time.
In both games, Guler was replaced by Modric in the middle of the second half. It felt symbolic: the old master turned to the role of the second occupyer, who was asked to protect the energy reserves of the man who replaced him.
Modric will be real right after the World Cup club, and AC Milan will achieve that potential goal. Current evidence suggests that Alonso has already replaced him.
Big things with quality, mentality, stock
Wolf boss Vittle Pereira is one of those who is sure Goller will become a superstar in the world, and he knows better than most others.
The Portuguese remembers having made his debut with Fenerbahus in 2021 and giving only 16 more people since, quickly realising the rare skills of young people. "He reminded me of James Rodriguez when I trained him at the age of 19 and recently arrived in Porto," Pereira told Spanish newspaper Marca last week. They are two players of extraordinary talent.
He [Guler] was a boy among men, but every time he received the ball he found the final pass. And if he made a mistake, he asked to try the ball again.
Pereira doesn't think there will be much revenue in comparison to Messi, but he agrees with the player himself.
He brought opposition between the lines with no difference in balance, so I saw him at an age of eight or over ten,” he added. He is intelligent and is looking for solutions before he gets the ball. He can play for a long or short time, and he can make the final pass.
He understands the game and wants to know more and more. I can definitely see how he plays Modric instead.
And the difficulties Guler encountered last season did nothing to curb Pereira's expectations of his former player potential.
"It's not easy because there are so many high quality players about Real Madrid," he concluded. But he finds his place. There is no doubt that his future has something big in the store. He got quality and mentality to become a major actor.
This process is already less than a month in Alonso's reign.
And if he shines for Juventus in his final 16 tie, that's another indication that he's willing to conquer the world of football in the storm.