Marco Asensio didn't enjoy the best 2018/19 with Real Madrid.

The young Spanish forward was the talk of La Liga a few years back when he burst onto the scene with Los Blancos.

He even scored the fourth and final goal in the 4-1 Champions League final win over Juventus in 2017.

Asensio's key asset was his lethal left foot, which produced a staggering amount of wonder-goals for a time.

His pace was also deadly, but both those dangerous attributes seemed to just disappear last season as he managed just six goals in all competitions.

But he still has the trust of Zinedine Zidane and he is already turning heads in pre-season training.

As reported by Marca, Asensio is outperforming every single one of his Los Blancos teammates in the fitness tests.

The 28-member squad took part in what is known as the Cooper Test, in which players compete to see who can run the furthest in 12 minutes - measuring their endurance.

This is to gauge the players' oxygen capacity during exercise and the top performers will be able to motor on effectively during games.

Asensio was the clear winner and some of the coaches are stunned by his figures.

It bodes very well for both the player and the club.

While Real have been very active in the transfer market in bringing in the likes of Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic, Asensio has a key role to play in 2019/20.

Zidane will need his squad more than ever and the 23-year-old could prove to be a crucial game changer - or even a surprise regular.

The manager has told him to work on his fitness in Montreal and he's clearly taken notice, while the hierarchy at the club believe missing the U21 European Championships was a blessing in disguise for Asensio.

He's fit, healthy and raring to go; write off Asensio at your own peril.

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