Three Red Cards: Dean Huijsen and the Gap Between Talent and Discipline at Real Madrid

On a night at the Metropolitano, referee Ortiz Arias sent off Dean Huijsen for the third time since he joined Real Madrid. The defender did not argue. He walked down the tunnel, shoulders low. All three red cards share the same structure: Huijsen fouled an opponent as the last defender. Borussia Dortmund, Real Sociedad and Atlético Madrid all faced him in those moments. Before Real Madrid, Huijsen went 122 matches without a red card. At Real Madrid, the frequency is roughly one red card every 17 matches. The pattern is not about bad temper. It is about late decisions, high defensive lines and a team structure that leaves a young centre-back isolated in last-man situations. When Courtois launches the ball forward to Mbappé or Vinícius Júnior, Real Madrid push up. If the ball is lost, one pass behind the defense can force Huijsen to choose between a foul and accepting a goal. He often chooses the foul. That is not malice; it is fear of conceding. The popular view is that Huijsen lacks discipline. The contrarian view is that the system is exposing him. His previous clean streak may be the result of a deeper defensive block and a different tactical role, not a simple change in attitude. VAR makes the rules clearer but does not remove controversy; it moves the debate to the review room. Coaches like Thomas Doll and José Mourinho represent two ways of protecting defenders. One focuses on positioning, the other on avoiding last-man situations altogether. Huijsen needs both. Real Madrid must decide whether to support him through this period or abandon him. The answer will shape more than one career.