Soccer as Life
Madrid and Barca: The Arms Race Continues
By Conor Quinn on July 21, 2014 at 8:35 PM
Last season was an oddity in Spain as neither Real Madrid nor Barcelona captured the La Liga crown. Atletico Madrid managed to break the duopoly, taking the title from Barca on the season's final day. Atletico may have bested both of them in the league, but they're unable to do something Madrid and Barca can: reload during the summer. While Madrid and Barca have continued to stockpile talent this summer, Atletico were forced to sell off many of their key players. The Madrid-Barca arms race isn't something new, but let's take a look at how each side has attempted to improve this summer.
Luis Suarez moved to Barca for 85 million euros, though he won't be able to play until October
In: Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla), Claudio Bravo (Real Sociedad), Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (Borussia M'Gladbach)
Out: Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal), Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea), Denis Suarez (Sevilla-loan), Christian Tello (Porto-loan), Victor Valdes (contract expired), Carles Puyol (retired)
Ivan Rakitic is unveiled at the Camp Nou
Barca made sure they got their money's worth while their FIFA transfer ban is being appealed, spending over 120 million euros on four players. The majority of that fee is coming from the purchase of Luis Suarez from Liverpool. Purchased for around 85 million euros, his signing also provides the biggest question mark. How exactly will Suarez fit in with this Barcelona side. He's used to being the focal point of any team he plays on, whether it was Liverpool or the Uruguay national side. That obviously won't be the case with Barcelona. How he is able to play with Lionel Messi will be key to his success at the club. Barca lives and dies with Messi, and results can get rocky when Messi and a high profile signing don't click, just ask Zlatan Ibahimovic. For all of Suarez's obvious character flaws, selfishness on the field doesn't seem to be one of them, and he may very well be able to connect with Messi. He may end up playing either on the wing or further ahead of Messi, and it will definitely be interesting to see how he, Messi, and Neymar are able to play together.
In my opinion, Ivan Rakitic was Barca's best signing of the summer. Xavi is getting older and will likely be leaving the club. Cesc Fabregas is off the London for the second time in his career. Rakitic was one of La Liga's best midfielders last season, and is more than capable of stepping in and filling that hole. He also brings a more direct style to the Barca midfield, who has often been a slave to the tiki taka style of play that Xavi embodied. He's definitely capable of helping Barca maintain their possession-based style while also upping the tempo.
Barcelona plays a very specific style of soccer, although it remains to be seen if they'll keep that style under new manager Luis Enrique. How quickly their new signings are able to gel with their veteran players will be key to the upcoming season.
In: Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich)
Out: Nuri Sahin (Borussia Dortmund), Casemiro (Porto-loan), Alvaro Morata (Juventus), Denis Cheryshev (Sevilla-loan)
By the time you're reading this, Real Madrid could have added a very significant name to the "In" list: James Rodriguez. For now, Toni Kroos is the only addition Real Madrid have made this summer, but, in my opinion, it was a great one. Kroos only had one year left on his contract with Bayern, and didn't seem to want to sign a new one unless Bayern were going to significantly increase his wages, something they didn't seem keen to do. Kroos' value is at an all-time high after his excellent World Cup, where he was one of Germany's standout players, and Madrid got him for the (relatively) low price of about 25 million euros. Midfield was the area Real needed to strengthen most this summer, and Kroos was a great step toward doing that. He's an excellent passer, and should help them control possession more, something Carlos Ancelotti has wanted to do since he took over last summer. He's able to play any of the positions in Real's three man midfield, and could be a long term replacement for the aging Xabi Alonso, although he prefers to play a bit farther forward.
Toni Kroos is welcomed to Madrid after his arrival from Munich
A midfield of Kroos, Luka Modric, and Xabi Alonso is about as good as you'll find anywhere in the world, but does leave some question marks. For all their struggles last year, Madrid's midfield is crowded. They currently have Kroos, Modric, Alonso, Sami Khedira, Isco, Angel Di Maria, and Asier Illaramendi. It is likely that one of these players, and quite possibly two, will be sold before the summer is over, with Khedira and Di Maria being the most likely. The possible addition of James makes the entire situation even more confusing, as we really don't know where James fits in. Is he a winger? A central midfielder? Both? Carlos Ancelotti will have to figure out a way to fit these players into a cohesive lineup. Khedira has been linked with Arsenal and Chelsea, while Di Maria has been rumored to be moving to PSG. Some of these questions should start to be answered if/when James is signed.
The sale of Alvaro Morata, although not the flashiest, may be big for Real. The sale leaves them with only one out and out striker, Karim Benzema. It has been rumored that James may be able to play in the center, in a false-nine position similar to when Messi plays for Barca. Things will get reallllly interesting if Benzema gets hurt at any point, and Ancelotti will have to shuffle his squad. Expectations are always high in Madrid, and they'll be under increased pressure after their Champions League success last season coupled with their signings this summer.
Both of these teams have made big moves this summer, and neither looks done. Madrid will likely be adding James, and Barca will almost certainly add a central defender. These two teams showed why La Liga tends to be a two horse race year after year, and with these expensive additions they both look set to go to head to head both in the domestic league as well as Europe this upcoming season.
Conor Quinn
Brian on MLS All-Stars v. Bayern Munich: Live Blog
Conor Quinn on Madrid and Barca: The Arms Race Continues
pfk1968 on Madrid and Barca: The Arms Race Continues
Craig Patik on World Cup champions: Germany
Conor Quinn on European Transfer Update!