Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez has been given a life line. Riddled with injuries, Real Madrid will be forced to face Atletico Madrid on Wednesday without Luka Modric (knee), Gareth Bale (calf) and Karim Benzema (knee).
Marcelo will also be out due to suspension.
With so little at his disposal, Carlo Ancelotti has no choice but to turn to a player he's had little trust for throughout the campaign. For Chicharito, however, this is the final opportunity to prove his worth at the world's biggest club, on the world's biggest stage.
Admittedly, Madrid's acquisition of the 26-year-old was a puzzling one.
The last bullet point on Hernandez's resume was a serious stint as Manchester United's mascot, relegated to the bench on a week-in, week-out basis. Those aren't exactly the credentials a manager yearns for and yet, club president Florentino Perez signed off on the loan.
What followed were the proverbial punchlines as Hernandez struggled to find the pitch at the Santiago Bernabeu, accruing just 337 minutes of league action. His one shining moment came in September, polishing off an irrelevant volley in Madrid's 8-2 victory over Deportivo La Coruña.
But things began to turn on Sunday.
Replacing the aforementioned injured Bale, Hernandez began to gel with his teammates and appeared to finally belong. His efforts culminated in a textbook assist for Cristiano Ronaldo in stoppage time.
But that was Malaga. The stakes will be higher on Wednesday.
Facing elimination in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, Hernandez has the opportunity to play hero. Performing at the most pivotal time of the campaign will allow him to not only silence the critics, but perhaps even earn a second look for the future.
Should he fail, should he continue to show that Real Madrid are a level above him, Southampton is just a short trip away.
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