Barcelona is going through difficult days, probably its most difficult in the current millennium. The club, which has conquered the world of football for the past 15 years, is getting used to a new reality. Without Leo Messi, with his first relegation from the Champions League home stage since 2001, and with a team that does not currently look like one that can compete for titles. And yet, in the professional darkness, the luxury club manages to find a point of light that gives them hope for a more rosy future.
Naturally, when a group runs into financial difficulties and cannot compete for the hot names in the market, it must turn to whoever is under its nose. The home players and the youngsters on the roster. Yesterday (Saturday), we saw an example of this, when Barça defeated Elche 2: 3 in a dramatic and fun game, which presented the good and bad that Xavi currently has in his hands. The coach started with a squad that includes Abda Azalzoli, Fran Jotgla and Gabi, with the last two also rewarding him with goals.
Does yesterday’s victory over the humble opponent suddenly signify a big change in Barcelona? Of course not, and there were also issues that cried out to heaven like naivety and perforated defense. But still, in its current state, Barça will take every bright spot and every positive thing it can, and what we saw from the front, was definitely something that could give them some hope.
At the head of the system at the moment is coach Xavi, who came, among other things, to promote those young people and bring back to Barcelona the game philosophy that it has lost in recent years. But in Spain the emphasis is on another character, Ramon Planes, the professional manager who left the club about a month ago, not before he had time to make a real mark. Among quite a few Barcelona fans, it is widely believed that Planes’ work was not valued enough, and the club had to do more to keep him on the team.
When you see the work of Planes, who was the one who pushed for the signing of Pedry (the winner of the Golden Boy Award) from Las Flames and made sure to tell Ronald Koeman in the summer about Gabby, who seems to be the club’s greatest young talent, it is impossible not to remember Was a candidate for Maccabi Haifa, and to wonder what process the Greens would go through if and when he arrived.
In 2017, the Spaniard was still the professional manager of Rayo Vallecano and according to all reports, had already agreed on the arrival of Greens, who eventually chose Tony Munius, who also did not come due to personal reasons. A year later, he joined Barça as Avidal’s assistant in what was explained by the club as a move designed to balance the Frenchman’s inexperience. He eventually replaced Avidal as the professional manager, but left before the end of his contract.
One of the shining young lights at the end of @FCBarcelona’s dark tunnel. https://t.co/a5osZ58uD5
— Gary Lineker ???? (@GaryLineker) December 18, 2021
The story surrounding Abda Azalzoli, tells perhaps most of all the work of Planes. The decision to land him in a team from the third division was a move he led, when he followed the player for almost a year, this despite fear at the club to add a player who did not grow ‘La Masia’. Thanks to his quick move, Planes overtook Bayern and Real Madrid who also began to express interest in the player, and persuaded the management to pay the relatively unpaid release amount to a player from the third division, about 2 million euros. He was also responsible for the signings of Fran Jotgla and Ronald Araujo, perhaps the only defensive player currently on the team who shows good ability.
3 months ago, Ez Abde, played in the Hercules of 3rd. Division.
Ramón Planes discovered him, he paid € 2M for him, he also discovered Pedri and Araujo.
Xavi and Laporta did not consider it a contribution and Planes leaves Barça. pic.twitter.com/TM09anixH1
– IRREVERENTES (@IrreverentesGol) December 14, 2021
Another flash of his, as mentioned, was the acquisition of Pedry. The player’s injury in recent months has somewhat forgotten the great season he went through and the permanent place he received in the Spanish national team, already at the age of 19. The relationship was examined at 15 at Real Madrid, but weather conditions and training in the snow prevented him from showing his ability.
He moved to Las Palmas, became the youngest player in the club’s history to make his senior debut, and was marked by Europe’s greats. In 2019, Las Palmas contacted Planes. He acted quickly and secured the acquisition of the midfielder, allowing him to end the season with the team, before arriving at Camp Nou in 2020.
So what’s the future of Planes? According to recent reports, Newcastle has marked him as the one who will lead her project. The Magpies have become the richest club in the world after taking over the Saudi acquisition group, but right now are having a hard time, players and it is quite possible that someone who finds players ‘under the radar’ and knows how to spot talent, is definitely what they need. Rome and Bayer Leverkusen are also interested in the Spaniard, who in the meantime can look back on his fruitful work at Barça. And we? We will continue to wonder what could have happened if he had come to our football.
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