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Despite several injuries in the squad, Real Madrid youngsters have found it difficult to get minutes at the club
Real Madrid Castilla manager and club legend Raul Gonzalez has expressed frustration with Carlo Ancelotti’s reluctance to integrate academy talents into the first team.
Drawing comparisons to rivals Barcelona, Raul believes La Fabrica, Real Madrid’s youth academy, boasts players who are just as capable as Barcelona’s highly praised youngsters but lack the opportunities to prove it.
Raul defends La Fabrica’s potential
In recent months, Barcelona has successfully promoted youth players like Lamine Yamal, Marc Casado, and Pau Cubarsi, who have stepped into critical roles under Xavi Hernandez and Hansi Flick.
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Meanwhile, Real Madrid, despite facing an injury crisis, has seldom turned to its academy, but Raul pointed to the brief involvement of Castilla player Raul Asencio during Real Madrid’s last match as a rare but encouraging sign.
Speaking with Spanish publication Sport, the three-time Champions League winner said, “[Raul] Asencio’s incursion has given a boost to the youth players. It has given them hope of reaching the first team and also allows them to confront the discourse of comparison with the Barcelona youth academy.”
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Raul argued that many academy players at La Fabrica are ready for first-team action, but systemic hesitation has held them back, adding, “The Real Madrid youth team is prepared and has shown it. The only thing missing is for those opportunities to arrive that perhaps have come at other clubs.
Raul slams Ancelotti’s pragmatism with youth
Carlo Ancelotti, like his predecessor Zinedine Zidane, has often been criticised for not promoting young talent from within the club. The Italian manager has defended his stance by stating that his primary responsibility is winning matches, not nurturing players, especially in a club as demanding as Real Madrid.
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Raul, however, implied that this approach undermines the academy’s potential since former Castilla graduates have excelled in other leagues, proving their quality despite limited chances at Madrid.
“The demands of the first team are not easy at all. But with Asencio’s incursion, it has been shown that the boys are prepared, like others who have passed through here and triumphed in other leagues,” Raul added.
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The Real Madrid icon’s comments reignite the debate over whether Real Madrid should emulate Barcelona’s model of faith in youth, especially as injuries continue to strain the first team.
For a club renowned for signing superstars, the question remains whether La Fabrica’s stars can finally earn the trust they deserve.
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