Raul Gonzalez assures Real Madrid academy is ‘best in the world’ – points finger at Carlo Ancelotti | OneFootball

Real Madrid Castilla manager Raul Gonzalez has stuck up for the academy players at La Fabrica, claiming that the only difference between their youth products and those having success at Barcelona are opportunities.

With Marc Casado, Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal impressing at Barcelona, and Real Madrid going through an injury crisis but rarely using youngsters, there has been plenty of talk about the difference between the two approaches. During Los Blancos’ last game though, Carlo Ancelotti did use Raul Asencio after Eder Militao fell to injury.

“Asencio’s incursion has given a boost to the youth players. It has given them hope of reaching the first team and also allows them to confront the discourse of comparison with the Barcelona youth academy,” he told Sport.

Raul also noted that the opportunities at Real Madrid are not being given to the players, despite the fact they are good enough in his eyes. A statement that can only lead to the conclusion that he feels Carlo Ancelotti is not being fair to them.

“Real Madrid has gone through one of the best moments in history and the demands of the first team are not easy at all. With Asencio’s incursion it has been shown that the boys are prepared, like others who have passed through here and triumphed in other leagues. The Real Madrid youth team is prepared and has shown it.”

“The only thing missing is for those opportunities to arrive that arise due to circumstances and that perhaps have come at other clubs. What is clear is that Madrid is the best academy.”

Ancelotti has rarely called on players from the academy at Real Madrid, and neither have they been given a big role by Zinedine Zidane before him. He has reasoned in the past that it is very difficult to get into the first team, and that his job is to win games not bring players through. Recent reports claim that even with the injuries, Ancelotti is not confident in the quality of the youngsters coming through from Castilla.