Italian spell
The 23-year-old has had limited first-team opportunities at the Santiago Bernabéu and, despite the departure of Michael Owen, was behind Ronaldo, Robinho, Raúl González and Julio Baptista in the Madrid pecking order. Last season, Portillo was farmed out to ACF Fiorentina where he scored once in eleven games before returning to Madrid in the January transfer window. Portillo's loan agreement includes a clause preventing him from playing against Madrid should Brugge meet the Spanish side in the Champions League.

Youth success
Portillo holds Madrid's youth academy scoring record, having hit more than 700 goals at various levels before reaching the first team in October 2002. "He wants to play, and with us he will certainly get that chance," said Club Brugge sporting director Marc Degryse, whose side face Juventus FC, SK Rapid Wien and FC Bayern München in the UEFA Champions League group stage.