Xabi Alonso's arrival on Real Madrid's bench has brought with it a new way of looking down, toward the youth academy.
With his own style and a vision different from his predecessor's, the Basque coach is not only renewing the first team's roster. He is also making key decisions about the academy players who will be part of his project.
Last summer, several notable Castilla players seemed destined to make the definitive leap. However, circumstances, and above all the new coach's preferences, changed that roadmap. Some are staying and others are packing their bags.
Jacobo, from white promise to reinforcement for Cesc
One of the most striking cases is Jacobo Ramón's. A center-back with potential, 20 years old, and considered at the end of last season as the possible solution to the first team's defensive problems.
Ancelotti had him play and he even decided some matches with his goals. However, his arrival to the first team was only due to the absences caused by injuries.
Everything has changed with Xabi Alonso. The coach doesn't see him as a useful piece in his system. He has made this clear by authorizing his departure to Como 1907, the Italian team where Nico Paz and Cesc Fàbregas are already playing.
At Valdebebas, they acknowledge that this is a departure that wasn't in the plans just three months ago. However, the change on the bench has changed everything.
Jacobo wasn't Xabi's bet, but Ancelotti's. That, in this Madrid, matters.
Joan Martínez gets back on track after an untimely injury
A different but also interesting case is Joan Martínez's. He is a left-footed center-back with great presence, who was on the first team's radar last season. Ancelotti had him among his favorites, but an untimely injury in preseason sidelined him at the worst moment.
That absence paved the way for Raúl Ascencio's emergence, who delivered, but never fully convinced the coaches. Even less so Xabi Alonso, who has preferred to reactivate Joan now that he is fully recovered.
The Basque coach wants to see him in action. He believes his profile could fit into the defensive model he is building.
Within the club's environment, they already call him the "new Sergio Ramos." Both for his physique and for his aggressiveness in tackles and his competitive character.
The emergence of Joan Martínez, just 5 ft. 7 in. (1.70 m) tall, directly affects Raúl Asencio, who could be the big loser in this movement of academy players.
Xabi's decisions shape the future
There is no room for sentimentality. Xabi Alonso has arrived with a clear idea and doesn't hesitate to make decisions, even if some surprise and others hurt.
Jacobo is leaving and Joan is staying. One was the established promise. The other, a card that seemed discarded.
In the new Madrid, everything can change. Fast.