Carlo Ancelotti is a gentleman, a true sir, a great coach. However, he is also a sworn enemy of everything that happens at La Fábrica.
Ancelotti's Allergy to Real Madrid's Youth Academy
His permanent allergy to the youth academy has led Real Madrid to be absent from numerous Spanish national team drafts in recent years.
Few academy players play for Real Madrid. Few Spaniards too. The old defense (Carvajal and Lucas Vázquez) and occasionally Ceballos and Fran García.
Real Madrid has become less Spanish and has turned into the least Spanish team among all Spanish teams. Looking at Ancelotti's line-ups, you can find several of them without a single Spanish player on the field.
This has led Real Madrid and its media apparatus to boast about having the best youth academy in the world just for others to take advantage of or to make small changes with the departure of its players from the club.
Asencio Seized the Opportunity
It seemed that, with Raúl Asencio, the situation could change. The injuries of Militão and Carvajal, along with Alaba's, brought the Canarian academy player to the first team, but only out of necessity.
The kid delivered, even better than expected. He played against Milan and Chelsea in the North American summer tour. He could have gone to Manchester City, but he chose to stay, waiting for Ancelotti's call.
Ancelotti called him in an emergency situation caused by the absences of Alaba, Carvajal, and Militão. He needed a center-back and trusted him because he had no one else. Even Tchouaméni was injured.
60 minutes against Osasuna and a full match against Leganés. Good performance and then the test at Anfield.
Asencio had taken the step, he was now one more in Ancelotti's team.
He stayed with the team against Getafe and at San Mamés against Athletic. Then he vanished in an instant.
What happened? Something Ancelotti didn't like? Not at all.
Tchouaméni, Who Isn't a Center-back, Takes Asencio's Spot
Tchouaméni had recovered from his injury. Between a midfielder turned into center-back and a purebred center-back trained at home, the Italian chose the one who isn't Spanish or from the academy.
Tchouaméni took the center-back position, leaving Asencio out. 11 minutes against Girona, 6 against Atalanta, and 0 against Rayo Vallecano.
Back to the harsh reality with a coach who wants nothing to do with the youth academy. Could it be that his rapport with Raúl isn't the best?
The truth is that Asencio returns to the world of dreams, far from the realities he briefly experienced. His fellow youth players are fuming. Asencio was like a role model for everyone.
Real Madrid is Just a Dream
It seemed that hard work was finally being rewarded in Real Madrid's first team. Everything remains the same now, however. The talents from La Fábrica now know that the most they can aspire to is to be sold and end up in a good team.
Real Madrid? A dream. Just ask Asencio.