Huijsen Has Three Red Cards Since Joining Real Madrid

Dean Huijsen had never been sent off in his senior club career before joining Real Madrid.

Now, the Spanish defender has been shown three red cards in just 52 appearances for the Spanish giants.

The latest came in Sunday's Madrid derby against Atlético, when Huijsen was initially shown a yellow card for bringing down Giuliano Simeone inside the box.

VAR intervened, however, and the referee upgraded the punishment to a straight red after determining that Huijsen had denied a clear goalscoring opportunity. Atlético went on to win 2-1 after Real were reduced to 10 men.

The statistic is striking when compared with Huijsen's career before his move to Madrid.

The centre-back received zero red cards during his spells with Juventus, Roma and Bournemouth, making his disciplinary record in Madrid particularly noticeable.

His three dismissals for Real Madrid have come in just 52 games, meaning he has been sent off approximately once every 17 matches.

Even more interestingly, all three dismissals have reportedly followed a similar pattern — Huijsen committing a foul as the last defender while trying to stop an opponent getting through on goal.

The 21-year-old's aggressive defensive position could be part of the explanation. Real Madrid often defend with a high line, leaving their centre-backs exposed to balls played behind the defence.

But whatever the reason, the numbers have changed dramatically since Huijsen arrived at the Bernabéu.

Zero red cards before Real Madrid.

Three red cards since joining them.

And at roughly one dismissal every 17 games, the youngster has suddenly developed a rather unwanted reputation in the Spanish capital.