Real Madrid’s youth team becomes invisible in defense | Relief

Being a central defender is a risky profession, especially at Real Madrid. Luck is not on the side of the white team, which this season has already lost Militao and Alaba in the defensive axis, both with long-term losses (anterior cruciate ligament). Yes indeed Concern grew when Rudiger had to be replaced. at half-time in the match against Getafe (rescheduled from matchday 20) due to a blow that prevented him from completing the 90 minutes. The Derby is on the horizon and Tchuameni is on hold Ancelotti had to improvise.

Although it was possible to turn to the central defenders of Castilla or Juvenil A, The Italian coach placed Carvajal as Nacho’s companion. It was not a completely unknown position for the defender training at La Fabrica, who had already played in this position in certain sections of the 21-22 Champions League. However, Ancelotti’s “experiment” opens a new debate: Why is it so expensive to develop central defenders who come and become established in the first team?

In the 21st century, only ten central defenders have made their debut for Real Madrid’s first team in La Liga: Pavon (2001), Ruben Gonzalez (2002), Alvaro Mejía (2004), Alvaro Arbeloa (2004), Gary Kagelmacher (2009), Nacho (2011), Diego Llorente (2013), Javi Sanchez (2018), Victor Chust (2021) ) ) and Mario Gila (2022). However, What’s really telling is that, with the exception of Nacho and Pavon, virtually none of them managed to gain a foothold in the main roster dynamic. Arbeloa, for example, had to abandon white discipline and change her position to do this.

“In Madrid you can’t fail… and if Ancelotti puts on a young player like Asensio and he fails, that kid will automatically stop being worth it.” If you don’t allow failures, you don’t develop,” answers Pablo Gil, a central defender who trains at La Fabrica. In 2002, Ruben Sanchez made his debut in a match against Depor under the command of Vicente del Bosque. yourself in the dynamics of the main team, He believes that at Real Madrid “transitions and patience do not exist.” neither with young players nor with famous players: “They can’t afford it, and this is what young people need.” Football has changed because in my time they put more emphasis on the quarry. “Madrid is a very demanding club.”

Despite the setbacks in the form of injuries that Real Madrid suffered, Only Alvaro Carrillo made his debut for the first team this season. He did it in the Copa del Rey against Arandina. In that match, Mario Martin, a defensive midfielder, also played as a central defender. “It’s not so much a lack of confidence as a lack of continuity. You can’t draw conclusions from the game, you have to give it a 10 and that’s it. There are active central defenders, as there are almost every year, but Madrid prefers its young players to leave and come back stronger,” says David Mateos, who made his debut for the white club in 2010 against Ajax under Jose Mourinho.

At Barcelona, ​​16-year-old Kubarsi accompanies Araujo on the culé defensive line. “This is a necessity. Not because of injuries, but because of Barça’s economic situation. If they could sign the contract, I already told you that Kubarsi will not play and that they will sign,” explains Ruben Sanchez. On career management differences between the Barça team and Real Madrid: David Mateos explains: “Barca have a career that can feed the first team and Madrid, which has a very large youth academy, trains thousands of teams. At least 20 players train in each category at La Fabrica.”

“Sending a child to such a difficult match (Madrid derby against Atlético Madrid) could end up burning him out.”adds Mateos, who believes there is almost never a “pressure” to bet on the youth team at Real Madrid. “Vinicius was also criticized when he arrived and now he is one of the best in the world.”insists Ruben Sánchez, who believes that criticism and demands also affect established players who do not fully adapt.

“The message that Madrid sends to its youth team is demanding. In other contexts this might be bad, but for me it’s a different reading. “Madrid prepares the guys for two things: so that they get the opportunity to play in the first team and so that if this does not happen, they are ready to respond outside the team. and that’s good,” concludes Ruben Sanchez, noting that the success of a youth team lies in facilitating the jump to the elite, and not so much in whether they get into the main team.

June Lavigne was born in Vitoria-Gasteiz and studied journalism at the European Atlantic University in Santander before moving to Madrid where she received a master’s degree in sports journalism from the university.

Villanueva. His first steps in the profession were taken at Editorial Puskas and A La Contra, and then he moved to Relevo, where he covers everyday life and develops information and reports on Real Madrid and the lower categories of Spanish football.


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