SoccerAmerica - Real Madrid-Barcelona, what they cost ... 04/15/2011

[MONEY MATTERS] Real Madrid and Barcelona have taken decidedly different approaches to building their powerhouse teams.

According to report by the Daily Telegraph, Real Madrid spent more on signing Cristiano Ronaldo ($136 million) than Barcelona did on its projected starting XI ($123 million).

Real Madrid should start only one youth product (goalie Iker Casillas), while Barcelona will start eight players (including Gerard Pique, who later moved to Manchester United) from its famed youth academy, La Masia.

REAL MADRID (cost: $421 million)

POS.	PLAYER	AGE	GP	COST
GK	Iker Casillas	29	602	youth team
RB	Sergio Ramos	25	254	$39 million
CB	Pepe	28	104	$43 million
CB	Ricardo Carvalho	32	41	$11 million
LB	Marcelo	22	156	$9 million
M	Xabi Alonso	29	84	$43 million
M	Sami Khedira	24	38	$29 million
M	Mesut Ozil	22	44	$22 million
F	Angel Di Maria	23	46	$36 million
F	Cristiano Ronaldo	26	80	$136 million
F	Karin Benzema	23	74	$51 million

BARCELONA (cost: $123 million)

POS.	PLAYER	AGE	GP	COST
G	Victor Valdes	29	398	Youth team
RB	Dani Alves	27	145	$43 million
CB	Carles Puyol	33	511	Youth team
CB	Gerard Pique	24	235	$7 million
LB	Adriano	26	28	$14 million
M	Sergio Busquets	22	130	Youth team
M	Xavi	31	568	Youth team
M	Andres Iniesta	26	355	Youth team
F	Pedro	23	168	Youth team
F	Lionel Messi	23	260	Youth team
F	David Villa	29	42	$58 million

0 comments

Paolo Jacobs

commented on: April 15, 2011 at 5:58 a.m.

Wow,,, incredible,,, Barca is such a smart club

Kent James

commented on: April 15, 2011 at 7:48 a.m.

Barcelona, doing it the way it should be done....

Kerry Ogden

commented on: April 15, 2011 at 7:52 a.m.

So what does this mean, is L. Messi playing for free along with 6 other players? Their has to be some cost on Barca's end? Probably in the tune of another couple hundred million.I have wondered what if the Barca players were sent off to other clubs how successful would Barca be and it's indiviual players? What makes the players good, not Barca, is their chemistry, it's perfect between the current players. Like C. Ronaldo, when he played for Man U he was great,the switch to R Madrid set him back for several yrs. and now he's coming to form again.

lorenzo murillo

commented on: April 15, 2011 at 8:38 a.m.

This table compares what it cost Madrid and Barca to build a team, not the payroll. To Ogden, in regards to player's performance not being Barca, your view is incorrect. Barca has everything to do with how these players perform and play on the field. Google La Masia, and you can read how Barca's youth system is above everyone else, in terms of developing attractive and creative players. Madrid to sell more players than Barca, but Barca's palyers are more talented with the ball. One interesting note about Barca's youth system: they do not test for speed or agility, rather they use small sided games to develop tactical speed. http://www.entrenamientodeportivo.org/apuntes.asp the above link is on notes from Dr. Seirul.lo, strength and conditioning coach for Barca for 20 years.

Walt Pericciuoli

commented on: April 15, 2011 at 10:43 a.m.

We should send our US trainers to La Masia to learn.

lorenzo murillo

commented on: April 15, 2011 at 10:50 a.m.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHcZKV_yEOc&feature=player_embedded#at=400 The road to success, how Barca became what it is today.

David Huff

commented on: April 15, 2011 at 1:11 p.m.

I agree with Walt, both USSF and MLS should take up residency at La Masia where they could learn a few things. I recall that Johann Cruyff had a big role in transforming Barca into the club it is today.

Joe Shoulders

commented on: April 17, 2011 at 10:09 a.m.

Sure it would be great to US trainers to La Masia, but the formula is not all that complicated. - Choose a bunch of very skillful players (regardless of size) - let them play and have patience for creative mistakes - stress keeping possession ... then pick the best ones we can do this here, but it would be the end of a very lucrative coaching school business for US Soccer. Because it doesn't take a week-long program in Florida to tell coaches this message.

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