How Barcelona have used their academy products better than Real Madrid
When we think about Real Madrid and Barcelona, the general theory is that the former are reliant on buying in Galacticos to form the bedrock of their sides, whereas the latter will always try and promote from within. But is that just a myth or does it hold true? Is Barca’s La Masia academy more successful at producing first team players than Real’s La Fabrica and have more from the Catalans featured during this campaign that at Los Blancos?
After all, much comment surrounds the fact that Sergi Roberto is the first academy product since Sergio Busquets and Pedro in 2008 to truly make their mark on the first team. Many have come, few have stayed the course.
Let’s compare some numbers.
Real Madrid academy products in current first team setup
For Real, Dani Carvajal has had the most impact on the first XI of their Academy graduates, but even his association is tenuous. Although he is a La Fabrica alumnus, he did spend a season at Bayer Leverkusen before returning. In any event, the right-back has proved to be decent competition for new-signing Danilo, making 11 appearances, eight of which were for the full 90 minutes.
On his return from a loan spell at Espanyol, classy academy product Lucas Vazquez has featured on 10 occasions but only two of those have been for the full match. Arguably his influence in those games hasn’t been as strong as the manager would like despite the player providing a reasonable four assists.
Striker Jese Rodriguez is next in the pecking order with nine appearances across 2015/16. Not too bad at this stage of the season at first glance, until you delve into the detail and note that the forward hasn’t yet completed 90 minutes for Rafael Benitez.
Kiko Casilla has two full appearances under his belt but, like Carvajal, was actually signed from elsewhere, in this case, Espanyol despite being a youth product of Real Madrid. The argument to be had is that Espanyol continued the development that Los Blancos started and now he has returned home for want of a better term.
Denis Cheryshev’s season has, frankly, been a disaster to this point. The Russian had the chance to move in the summer but ended up staying at the Santiago Bernabeu, no doubt in the hope that he would be given some more minutes. This despite being out on loan to Villarreal and Sevilla for the last couple of seasons. His reward for working so hard to force the manager’s hand? Five appearances since August totalling 60 minutes. One hour of first-team football in four months!
That’s still not as bad as poor old Alvaro Arbeloa who has just one La Liga and one Champions League appearance to his name.
Six players used across the season from the academy, but none whom you would say is now a first-choice. Only Carvajal played in El Clasico – for all of seven minutes.
Barcelona’s first team is filled with academy players
Barcelona by contrast have fielded a whole XI of players in the same time frame, with a number producing the goods as and when required. Captain Andres Iniesta has been involved in 17 of Barca’s games so far, never better than at the Santiago Bernabeu when a man-of-the-match performance was underscored by an Exocet missile into the top corner for Barcelona’s third goal.
The biggest academy success story of the season has to be that of Sergi Roberto. Like many over the last few years, the youngster had flitted in and out of the Barca first team picture but has never really enjoyed the regular confidence of his managers. Until now.
Covering for Dani Alves whilst injured seemed nothing more than a make-do-and-mend scenario at the time for Roberto, but the first extended run he has had in the side handed him the confidence required to be able to express himself, to the extent that, injury aside, it would be a shock to see him replaced in the starting lineup anytime soon. His 17 games have been full of promise and attacking intent and four assists, two man-of-the-match accolades and a goal is a just reward for his application and endeavour to this point.
Where would Barca be without their “snowplough” Sergio Busquets? On 20 occasions this season he has supplied his usual gold standard of excellence. “They shall not pass” should be the defensive midfielder’s personal motto. Just simple, effective play that allows the Catalans more attack-minded players to go about their business with aplomb. Still barely a weakness to his game and for those that don’t appreciate what he brings to the club, they soon will when he’s not in-situ any longer.
Gerard Pique continues to shore up the defence, whether it be alongside Javier Mascherano, Thomas Vermaelen, Jeremy Mathieu or Marc Bartra. Pique has been the constant at the back. Pique would likely have added to his 15 performances were it not for a red card at the beginning of the season which saw him miss four games as a punishment. Of those 15, there have been just three that the elegant Catalan hasn’t completed.
That is in stark contrast to Marc Bartra who could well be looking for pastures new in January. The youngster has 11 appearances under his belt, but just four that have gone the distance.
Joining him might well be the trio of Gerard Gumbau, Sandro Ramirez and Munir El Haddadi. None have made any impact at all this season and, unless they are prepared to accept a tutelage under Gerard Lopez for Barca B, then a sale is almost guaranteed. Between the three of them, they have been involved for just 32 appearances – but tellingly just one full 90 minutes each for Ramirez and El Haddadi.
Rafinha’s unfortunate injury against Roma in the Champions League ended his season before it had really begun and meant we have seen just six performances for the Brazilian as a result. Jordi Alba’s season has also been disrupted by injury, but 14 appearances have been largely a good return from a flying full-back that is integral to Barca’s way of working.
Leaving just Lionel Messi.
Having missed two months of the season, one might have expected his comeback and influence on the side to take some time. Not with Messi who has been straight back into the groove over the last two and a half games. They have formed part of 13 appearances that have included nine goals, three assists and four man-of-the-match accolades. Not bad!
For the Clasico, Barca had seven players on show at various stages from their academy, and certainly provided one of the best performances seen in the league this season.
In conclusion, La Masia continues to work well and function ultimately because the management are prepared to give the youngsters the chance to progress. Real Madrid prefer to throw their weight and money around. But to this point – and indeed for a large portion of the last decade despite a £1billion+ spend from Florentino Perez – it isn’t working.