Movistar analyst Álvaro Benito analyzes the differences between the youth teamsof Barça and Real Madrid on his YouTube channel on AS.
He offers his explanation for why so many players come out of La Masia and so few from La Fábrica. He also gives Ancelotti names: three players from the youth academy who could be interesting for Real Madrid.
"Barça's Needs"
Álvaro Benito is an authoritative voice because he was a coach for the Real Madrid youth system between 2015 and 2019.
¿POR QUÉ LAMINE YAMAL SALIÓ en el BARCELONA y no en el REAL MADRID? ÁLVARO BENITO LO EXPLICA
This is how Álvaro Benito explains the differences between Barça and Real Madrid with their youth teams:
"It has to do with the club's needs. Barça is currently going through a moment in which it has no other solution than drawing people from below.
"And sometimes, out of necessity, you discover that there are footballers who surpass the level expected from them.
"They wouldn't have had this space if there hadn't been a need for it."
Lamine Yamal's Case
He refers to the of Lamine Yamal's boom: "He would've arrived under any circumstances.
"In a Barça from years ago, with many more stars, the process would've been slower. But he would've ended up succeeding with such great talent.
Necessity brought him to the first team very early on and then it was clear that he was ready."
"Real Madrid is the Hardest Club"
"Real Madrid is the soccer club where it is most difficult to emerge as a youth playerin the world. For each position, they have one of the best in the world, or the best.
"A talent has to appear that knocks down many doors first; and this hasn't happened in many years.
"There are some very good footballers, very capable of playing professional soccer. Real Madrid's youth system feeds many professional soccer teams, because there's a high level of talent.
"But for Real Madrid you have to be an elite player to get there."
Three Names for Ancelotti
"But there are some very interesting players. For example, Alejandro Jiménez, who left for Milan. He's a right-back and would've had a chance.
"Manuel Angel ... Pablo Iago, who ended up leaving and is a great talent.
"There are good players at Castilla, but there's no clear case in which a player first proves to be talented while playing in Real Madrid's first team.
"And the circumstances have to be right: a coach being interested; there being a place for him..."
"The Barça players have left out of necessity," concludes Álvaro Benito.