Special Report: La Liga’s Wonderkids

Alvaro Vadillo 
17 years old
Real Betis
AM R
Value: £7.5m
Rating: 

Young winger Vadillo is the latest on the Betis production line of academy graduates, having seen Ezequiel and Joaquin shine during their time at the Estadio Manuel Ruíz de Lopera. He is held in high regard by the Real Betis management having impressed for both Spain and Betis’ youth sides, scoring and creating goals left right and centre.

The 17-year-old is similar to Joaquin as he is more conventional and likes to take it past his opponent rather than try to humiliate them with his superb technique.

Vadillo has made a few cameo appearances this season for Betis, often injecting energy and pace to a slow team, and this prompted coach Pepe Mel to include the starlet in his starting eleven against Real Madrid.

However, just 17 minutes into the game, Vadillo had been causing world-class defender Sergio Ramos all sorts of problems. Frustration grew for the right-back, and a strong tackle from 25-year-old Ramos saw Vadillo coming off far worse in their collision, wreathing on the ground in agony. And their worst fears were confirmed when the club confirmed he had suffered cruciate ligament damage, ruling him out for the season.

This hasn’t, however, put Man United boss Sir Alex Ferguson sending scouts to watch him, and wishing him well in his recovery, something he also did with Steven Defour when he was injured while being targeted by United. Sir Alex is said to be impressed with Vadillo and there are pundits who compare the talented winger to Cristiano Ronaldo (right) due to his devastating combination of blistering pace and a powerful frame. And if he fully recovers from his injury, he faces an exciting challenge of trying to emulate the 26-year-old former world player of the year.

 

Isco
19 years old
Malaga
MC, AM C
Value: £8m
Rating: 

Valencia’s academy has seen the likes of Jordi Alba, David Silva and Paco Alcacer break into the first-team. However, Isco, was not quite so lucky.

The 19-year-old playmaker was kept out by the sparkling form of Juan Mata last season, and although the Spanish forward departed for Chelsea, Isco decided enough was enough, and sealed a £6 million move to Malaga this summer, signing a five-year deal to highlight another coup for the Andalucian club.

Scoring 15 goals for Valencia B, Isco is reminiscent of Joe Cole in his younger days, with his quick movement, outstanding ball control and the way he drops into space. He plays just behind the front two, and despite being 5ft 8, Isco has a good sense of balance and therefore is quite a strong and agile player.

Despite signing Argentinian playmaker Diego Buonanotte from River, the Malaga management see Isco as more of a pivotal part to Malaga’s long-term plans to dominate La Liga. At just 19, he has time on his side and has already played in six of Malaga’s 10 games this season, helping them to 6th position.

It’s only a matter of time before Isco receives his first senior call-up, having represented Spain right through from U-16 to U-21 level, scoring twice in three appearances for the latter. Despite an array of attacking talent in Spain’s midfield, Isco can unlock defences just like Cesc Fabregas, Iniesta and David Silva.  So while he may need to be patient in waiting for his debut for La Rojas, he is being tipped to lead Malaga to glory.

 

Alvaro Vazquez 
20 years old
Espanyol
ST
Value: £10m
Rating: 

Pundits usually say that a local lad will always give their all of their boyhood club, and Alvaro Vazquez is no different.

He joined Espanyol at 14 years of age, and just four years later after impressing in the academy, he was a regular in their B team, scoring 8 goals in 18 games. His performances weren’t going unnoticed, and soon Espanyol manager Mauricio Pottechino bumped him up to the senior squad, where he made his debut in the 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid back in November 2010.

Just five days after, Vazquez turned heads with the only goal of the game against Osasuna, meaning that he kept his place in the squad as back-up to the in-form Pablo Osvaldo. And while he was forced to play reserve to Jose Callejon, Sergio Garcia and Osvaldo, Vazquez now has the opportunity to shine in 2011/12 after the departures of Callejon (Real Madrid) and Osvaldo (Roma).

Vazquez is very much a player in the mould of Real Madrid legend Raul. Standing at 6ft, he’s not the fastest of strikers, but has a truly outstanding eye for goal. His quality of finishing surpasses his age by many years, and many have dubbed him ‘Catalonia’s Raul’ for his sheer poise in everything that he does on the field.

He made a name for himself at the U20 World Cup (see ‘Portfolio’ section for report) by finishing joint-top in the scoring charts, levelling with Brazil’s Henrique on 5 goals apiece, including a stunning hat-trick in the 5-1 demolition of Australia. It was even speculated that Spurs boss Harry Redknapp sent his scouts to run the rule over Vazquez, while Real boss Jose Mourinho is also said to be looking for a new striker.

 

Gerard Deulofeu
17 years old
Barcelona
AM RLC
Value: £10m

Deulofeu is a player that Pep Guardiola would probably take to training himself if he had to. Why? Because the Spanish tactician believes that Deulofeu has the ability to become as good as Lionel Messi.

Another gem uncovered from the famed La Masia academy, Deulofeu has already made his first-team debut despite being just 17 and belonging to a club with a team full of world-class players.

Deulofeu joined Barca aged 9, and managed to work his way up through the youth sides to the B team, despite being registered with the youth side, and made his debut in March. Such was the rapid rise of the youngster, he was included in Barcelona’s pre-season tour this summer, and played in the 4-1 loss to Guadalajara.

Deulofeu has also made many appearances for Spain’s youth teams, largely playing from the left hand side, where he cuts in on his favoured right foot and causes havoc for the right-back with his pace and dribbling ability.

Deulofeu represents a mix between Ronaldo and Messi, purely because he is not as small as the little magician from Rosario as he is 5ft 10, but has the same playing style. When striking the ball, Deulofeu is identical to Ronaldo. He manages to get under the ball to get a lot of swerve and dip on the ball, causing the opposition goalkeepers a massive problem and you can’t take your eye off him. Just ask Chelsea’s Nathaniel Chalobah, who was outpaced by Deulofeu in their 2-0 defeat last year in the U19 clash.

Deulofeu was largely expected to follow Jon Toral and Hector Bellerin out of Barcelona, with Chelsea and Arsenal both keen to snap up the exciting prospect. But if Barcelona can hang onto him until he is 18, they will have kept a player with massive potential, and he could be breaking into the Spain and Barcelona team by the time Brazil 2014 comes around.

 

Jese Rodriguez 
18 years old
Real Madrid
MC, AM RLC
Value: £5m

If the likes of Juan Mata and Roberto Soldado are anything to go by, if Jese Rodriguez doesn’t get into the Real Madrid first-team it won’t be the worst thing in the world.

The only notable youth products in the current Madrid team are Iker Casillas and Esteban Granero, as Madrid like to buy overseas talent such as Raphael Varane and Mesut Ozil.

But Rodriguez could be the next in line for some first-team action after some stunning performances from Real Madrid’s Castilla team, netting 4 goals and creating 7 in 13 appearances for the ‘B’ team, which has alerted Jose Mourinho to the 18-year-old’s talents.

A player compared with Cristiano Ronaldo due to his playing style and dribbling, Jesé is a very exquisite player and has been tipped to be a major gem in Real Madrid’s cantera. He made his debut against Guangzhou Evergrande in pre-season, and made an instant impact 20 seconds after coming on, getting on the end of Angel Di Maria’s cross.

A pacy, versatile midfielder who can play on both wings, Rodriguez could see himself on the teamsheet for a few Copa del Rey games along with Alvaro Morata, who is also shining in the Castilla team. But Real Madrid fear they may lose Rodriguez, as he is yet to sign a professional deal, with Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal and AC Milan all circling to sign the talented youngster.

Talking Points from Europe…

Is racism is on the rise again?

The irony is astounding. We’ve come to the end of UEFA’s campaign to promote a united front against racism with their Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) week. Yet reports of racism, poor discipline and a lack of professionalism are more frequent than ever, and it begs the question as to whether we have actually got rid of racism in football after many years of campaigning.

Looking back to the weekend’s action, Chelsea captain John Terry was accused of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand in their 1-0 defeat to QPR, although Terry categorically denied this yesterday. And Cesc Fabregas was embroiled in controversy after allegedly provoking Sevilla’s Frederic Kanoute with a racial slur in Barcelona’s 0-0 draw with Sevilla, which saw the Mali international get himself sent off for grabbing the former Arsenal man by the throat.

And even if Fabregas did racially abuse Kanoute, I would say the Mali international was still wrong to grab him by the throat. I’m totally against racism, and I understand it may hurt a player if he is racially abused, but I feel it would be a more dignified approach to just ignore the thugs and get on with the game. 

Instead, by reacting, Kanoute is just as bad as his tormenter.

But considering the professionalism of these two players, Fabregas and Terry, and also considering the fact they have played with black and Asian teammates, it is highly unlikely that the allegations against them are true. Both have vehemently denied the claims, and declared their intention to clear their names. Terry even promoted the events that Kick It Out have presented during his time as England & Chelsea captain.

But, no one is innocent yet and if they are found out to have uttered racial comments, I for one would want to see the most serious of sanctions handed out.

 

Chris Foy shows why video technology is needed…

7 yellow cards, 2 red cards and a penalty. It all looks bad for Chelsea when you look at the stats. But when you watch the game, one must wonder how QPR mustered only 2 yellow cards, 0 red cards and 0 penalties.

It becomes obvious after 29 minutes that Chris Foy is trying to prove something. That is, when Jose Bosingwa was controversially sent off for hauling down Shaun Wright-Phillips. Now, I respect the referee’s decision more than the next one, but when two of the Premier League’s quickest players are battling to get the ball with both tugging at each others’ shirt’s, it’s likely that at least one of them is going to take a tumble.

Yet, when Bosingwa fell, he brought Wright-Phillips down with him. There wasn’t an obvious attempt to haul him down, just a clash of bodies at a fast pace. Even when Wright-Phillips went down, the 29-year-old got straight back up and he didn’t complain for a foul. When Foy summoned Bosingwa, many thought he would be shown a yellow card since John Terry was in close pursuit of SWP. Yet, to the Portuguese right-back’s amazement, Foy brandished the red card, and effectively it ruined the game as a fair contest. 

When Didier Drogba lunged at Adel Taarabt, I knew the red was coming out. Sure, it was a terrible tackle, but if a QPR player had done the same, would he have been sent off? I’m not convinced. My argument is that Foy was making a point that big teams don’t always get the decisions, but by being inconsistent with his decisions, he has undermined his role as a referee. And that’s why I back AVB’s claim that referees are being unfair with Chelsea this season. They ask for respect for referees, but respect is something that is earnt, rather than given.

 

 

Balotelli: barmy but brilliant…

Just four months ago, we all feared the worst for Mario Balotelli. The 21-year-old Italian had just been hauled off by Roberto Mancini in their 1-1 draw (7-6 on pens) with LA Galaxy for a ridiculous backheel when he was through on goal. (See ‘Brilliant Teen or Charlie Sheen’ post)

It would be a little naive to say he’s turned the corner. After all, this is a player who has been sent off three times already and has been fined £300,000 by the club since his £20 million move in 2010. But Balotelli is certainly acting with more maturity than in the summer, and has the ability to become a top player.

And it’s showing on the pitch as well, as Balotelli turned in another superb performance against Man Utd, bagging a brace in their 6-1 thumping on the Champions, making it 6 goals in his last 5 appearances.

But the influence of Roberto Mancini cannot be ignored. The Italian tactician, who has led his side from losing 3-0 to Blackburn last season to 5 points clear at the top of the league in 2011/12, has managed to keep Balotelli under wraps and kept him out of trouble. Despite an incident involving fireworks being set off in his house, Balotelli was not involved, and even told his friends not to be so stupid in future!

While we all like to see Balotelli make a fool of himself, it is always good to see a player finally grow up and make a good name for himself.

The Boy’s a Bit Special

As the football season comes round once more after an eventful pre-season, the transfer window is in full-swing, with the Premier League’s total spending at around £240 million so far, and there’s still a month left of the transfer window. Manchester City’s marquee signing of £38m Sergio Aguero has been the most high-profile so far, and had Chelsea been successful in beating PSG to the signing of Javier Pastore, they would’ve taken that spending to the £275m mark.

There are still some on-going sagas to be resolved, however. The longest one being Cesc Fabregas’ protracted switch to boyhood club Barcelona, which is yet to be concluded as the Spanish giants are unwilling to part with £35 million for the Spanish international, which has left the door open for Chelsea, AC Milan and Man City to step up their interest as all are in the market for a playmaker. The other saga concerns Brazilian wonderkid Neymar, who last summer accepted a £25 million bid from Chelsea, only for the youngster to reject the offer from the Londoners.

Now, a year later, 5 clubs are said to be interested in taking Neymar from his native Brazil to Europe, and Chelsea remain one of those clubs. Real Madrid are said to

be the preferred destination of the talented forward, but Santos do not want to sell until January. So, unless a club matches his £39 million release clause, Neymar will be staying put. The reason that no one has met this clause yet is because the clubs feel the fee is too steep. Yet, this is a player who at 19: scored twice against Scotland, scored 9 goals at the SAM U-20 Championships and has scored 23 goals for his club Santos.

And if you watch the video below, you will be urging your club’s manager, whether its Villas Boas, Mancini, Mourinho or Ferguson, to sign him up ASAP, because it shows Neymar is on his way to a very exclusive talent bracket, which includes only Iniesta, Xavi, Ronaldo and Messi.

Barcelona’s Next La Masia Gem

Barcelona have long been renowned for producing world-class players through their La Masia academy. The likes of Cesc Fabregas, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and of course, FIFA World Player of the Year Lionel Messi, have all come through the excellent youth system in Catalonia. And while it’s certainly saved Barcelona a lot of money in transfer fees, they have also gone about utilising their players to help win them several trophies. But what makes Barcelona click is the unity around the club. The club’s saying mes que un club, which translates to ‘more than a club’, indicates that the whole nurturing process in Spain is key for explaining why Barcelona’s production line are so successful.Players such as Messi and Iniesta have described how at the young age of 15, when they were both missing their family, the club flew in their parents and offered them accomodation to help the youngsters overcome their homesickness. A gesture such as this doesn’t happen too often in footbal

l, with players either being told to toughen up or leave if they can’t handle the pressure of being away from home. But Barcelona seem to know when they see a talent, when they see the potential, and so they make sure that the player is kept happy at all costs. Perhaps that’s why they paid £10,000 for a 14-year-old Lionel Messi to have growth injection, as at 4ft 5, they feared he would be too small to become a footballer, despite his amazing talent. It seems that whoever gave the go-ahead to those £10,000 injections is in line for a huge pay-rise, because Messi has gone on to become one of the greatest players of all time.

But the fear at Barcelona is that with money being an influential factor on the game these days, rising stars may be tempted by the riches of Chelsea and Man City. Since Cesc Fabregas left the club to join Arsenal as a 16-year-old in 2003, no fewer than 15 youth products have turned down professional deals to move elsewhere. A shocking statistic, given the stature of Barcelona and the quality of their youth academy. But Fabregas shed some light on why he moved, saying that with Guardiola, Xavi and Cocu in the midfield, he didn’t feel he could get in the team. Perhaps it was a wise move, given that he has established himself as a world-class playmaker at Arsenal. But now Fabregas is said to be waiting desperately for a move back to Barcelona, as the Spanish giants mull over whether to spend big on Fabregas or Udinese’s Chilean winger Alexis Sanchez, who is on the verge of completing a £37 million move to the Camp Nou.

But do they actually need Fabregas?

Perhaps. But coach Pep Guardiola has moved to extend midfield starlet Thiago Alcantara, one of the most impressive players of the U-21 Championships last month, onto a long-term contract to fend off interest from Chelsea, Man Utd and Arsenal. Thiago, 20, was said to be considering his future after the club made 2 bids for Fabregas, and Thiago knows that if the diminutive playmaker made the long-awaited move, his days would be numbered with Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets forming a formidable midfield-three. But, after talks with Guardiola, Thiago has opted to sign a double-your-wages deal to see him stay at least until 2015. So the intentions of Guardiola is that if he misses out on Fabregas, he has Thiago waiting in the wings who could arguably be as good as the Arsenal midfielder.

The son of Brazil World Cup Winner Maizinho, Thiago is Italian, Brazillian and Spanish, so he can play for any of the following countries. But it is rumoured he is set on playing for Spain after helping their U-21 side to the European Championship title in Denmark. And he is one of many bright prospects at the Camp Nou. Here, I evaluate just how good they really are, and what can we expect from them in the future:

Sergi Samper
16 years old
Spanish 

Sergi Samper is being tipped to hit the big-time at the Camp Nou after some stunning performances for the youth side. Seen as the next Xavi due to his fantastic vision and execution of a pass, he is also very good defensively, making him an ideal box-to-box midfielder for Barcelona. The Catalan giants won’t have to worry about Samper moving abroad though; he’s pledged his future to his dream club, snubbing the advances of Arsenal in the process. He has represented Spain at U-17 level, and could well be one for Spain’s Russia 2018 squad if he continues to impress, although Brazil looks too early for the starlet.

                                                                                                                                                                         Gael Etock
17 years old
Cameroonian 

Etock is the new Samuel Eto’o; there is no argument about it. The pacy striker is lanky but very agile, and has an amazing eye for goal, notching 28 goals for Barcelona’s youth side last season. Obviously a player with his potential is going to gain interest from around the globe, but like Samper, Etock has vowed to be a success at the Camp Nou and emulate former striker Eto’o’s famous goalscoring records at the Catalan club.

Hector Bellerin
16 years old
Spanish 

Unfortunately for Barcelona, promising striker Bellerin has decided to snub their offer of a professional deal and follow Jon Miguel Harper Toral to North London, where he has signed a pre-contract deal for a 5-year pro contract. Bellerin formed a great partnership with Etock last season, scoring less but assisting more, showing the likeness to David Villa, and like Samper is a regular in Spain’s U-17 side. Bellerin may be able to make the mark at Arsenal, but Barca chiefs are furious at his decision to turn his back on the club where he’d been since he was 7.

                                                                                                                                                                    Gerard Deulofeu
17 years old
Spanish 

Deulofeu is a wanted man after becoming the latest sensation on the wing for Spain. Similar to Spain winger Jesus Navas, Deulofeu has tremendous pace and when dribbling, the ball doesn’t go far from his feet. He has a decent scoring record, 6 goals in 20 appearances for Spain U-17’s, including 3 goals in the Euro Championships last year, impressing Arsenal and Chelsea scouts who were watching. This then saw him promoted to the U-19’s at just 16 years of age, and earlier this year saw himself placed on the bench for Barcelona’s 2-1 loss at Real Sociedad. And despite not coming on, it shows the faith Guardiola has in the talented winger, and if he can break through like Thiago Alcantara, there are high hopes for Deulofeu.

Sergi Gomez
19 years old
Spanish

Gomez, unlike Deulofeu, did make his Barcelona debut last season. Granted, he is two years older, but there is excitement in the Barcelona camp that Gomez could be fast-tracked along with Marc Muniesa to the first-team in the not too distant future. With Carles Puyol now 33, Gomez is being lined up as his long-term replacement, and Gomez certainly fits the bill. He’s been a regular in all of the youth teams, and it won’t be too long before he makes the U-21 squad.