Atletico Madrid Squad Better Prepared Than Real Madrid to Beat FIFA Transfer Ban
The not-so-shocking news of Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid receiving transfer bans from FIFA, akin to Barcelona's ban in 2014, was finally confirmed on Thursday. The game's governing body handed down sentences to prevent either capital-city club signing new players for the next two transfer windows.
Per BBC Sport, both clubs were also fined: £622,000 for Atletico and £249,000 for Real, who now both may look to exploit the remaining two weeks of the current transfer window, with the bans not coming into effect until afterward: summer 2016 and January 2017.
"One of the illegal signings that caused Real Madrid to be banned was Luca Zidane - son of current coach Zinedine. https://t.co/zetIcw7aY0
— Andrew Gaffney (@GaffneyVLC) January 14, 2016"
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Much could thus change in the interim period, and there is still the possibility of appeals, but in any case, both clubs are set to be facing next season with largely the same squad in place as right now—and that points to Atletico Madrid being more ably set than Real to negotiate that period successfully.
Timelines
Consider Barcelona's case: They appealed, it overran the summer 2014 window and eventually the Catalan side could not register players in the winter of 2014-15 or the summer ahead of the 2015-16 campaign. It gave them an extra summer to sort their squad for what was essentially a season-and-a-half; although, they were able to sign Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal last summer, just not register them until last week.
Real and Atleti could attempt to do the same, rather than not be able to sign anyone else from February through to the end of next season.
Barcelona were also unable to bring back players and register them who were out on loan, thus the likes of Emiliano Velazquez, Silvio, Javi Manquillo, Josuha Guilavogui, Alessio Cerci, Leo Baptistao, Borja Baston and others for Atletico would be unable to be recalled to the first-team scene for next season. For Real, that applies to such talents as Marco Asensio, Diego Llorente, Fabio Coentrao, Alvaro Medran and Lucas Silva.
There is much for the head coaches to consider, not least of all in Real's case, as Zinedine Zidane has only just taken over the reins at first-team level. However, the former Castilla manager has great knowledge of the younger talents at the club who could be called upon.
"Real Madrid are banned from buying players for next two transfer windows after this January window. MORATA STAYS! pic.twitter.com/DqoOjW3oI3
— Juvefc.com (@juvefcdotcom) January 14, 2016"
"The ban will be lifted by the end of the 2016/17 season, so Real Madrid could still exercise their option on Morata worth €30m that summer.
— M.A.J (@UltraSuristic) January 14, 2016"
Recent Transfer Work
Leaving aside those who may or may not return, then, who is already in place? Both clubs must have been expecting, or at least fearing the possibility of, the ban, so recent transfer windows have provided the opportunity for them to put a safety net in place.
In that regard, it's fair to say Atletico's work has the mix of foresight, current impact and future improvement required.
"Atletico are better prepared than Real for this. Correa, Kranevitter, Vietto, Carrasco all signed recently, all young and excellent.
— Karl Matchett (@karlmatchett) January 14, 2016"
Stefan Savic, Matias Kranevitter, Yannick Carrasco and Luciano Vietto were all captured in the summer—Kranevitter arriving now in January—and all are aged 21 to 24. In the case of the first three names, all are senior internationals, and the three summer additions have already shown their quality and ability, with much more to come.
Additionally, Angel Correa's signature was wrapped up last winter, though heart surgery meant he played no part until this season. Again, the Argentinian is a senior international, is clearly extremely talented and was just 19 years of age when he signed.
Add in the captures of Antoine Griezmann (23), Jan Oblak (21) and Santos Borre (19 and out on loan in Colombia) and it's not hard to see where Atleti were going when they added these talents. Of course, youthful promise requires senior guidance, and the additions of Filipe Luis, Jackson Martinez and, two weeks ago, Augusto Fernandez boost the squad experience level.
Real Madrid have similarly added quality players of a young age, but neither Danilo (23) nor Mateo Kovacic (21) have quite managed to convince everyone yet—though, of course, it should be noted that to "convince" everyone at the Santiago Bernabeu is a) nigh-on impossible and b) subject to comparison against vastly different expectations. The only addition last winter, Lucas Silva, has already been jettisoned to Marseille this term, deemed not good enough.
Squad Status
It's not just about recent incomings, but those already in place over time, too.
Atleti have experience in their squad—Diego Godin, Gabi, Juanfran and Filipe Luis are all 29 to 32—but Koke, Griezmann, Oblak, Carrasco, Vietto, Saul, Oliver, Josema Gimenez and Correa are all in the 20-to-24 range. It's the bulk of their first-team selection, and new breakthrough midfielders Thomas and Kranevitter are in that band, too.
Real cannot match that. Dani Carvajal, James Rodriguez, Isco and Raphael Varane are 22 to 24, but anyone younger is still a bit-part player trying to progress from a Castilla standout to a Real squad player. Those who make up the numbers in the squad—Denis Cheryshev, Nacho, Lucas Vazquez et al—tend to be in their mid-20s, while the core members of the team are all in their later 20s or their 30s.
Over the course of a single season, does it matter? Perhaps not. Perhaps experience will even count for a little more in certain cases; though, there is no empirical proof for that.
But a strike force of Karim Benzema at 29 and Cristiano Ronaldo at 31, ahead of a midfield including a 31-year-old Luka Modric, might be cause for concern. Especially against younger midfields with a penchant for high-tempo pressing, relentless work rate and quick counter-attacks.
Atletico Madrid, for example.
Matching Barcelona
The team to catch in Spain and the wider world, Barcelona won the treble while under the transfer ban, which shows not only how good they are but how well they prepared for and essentially "gamed" the ban itself.
Barcelona mapped a plan, spent big and backed themselves to have covered all their bases for all positions—and it's fair to say they did.
As recently as November, Real Madrid were reported to be considering a "major shake-up" in the squad, selling the likes of Ronaldo and Benzema to build a new squad incorporating Roberto Lewandowski, David De Gea and others. Those revamp plans might now have to be on hold, with Zidane having to make do with the squad he has now for the next 18 months.
Is it a good one? Absolutely. Is it a great one? It has been, but time passes quickly in football, and this group won nothing last year, nor are they in place to win anything this term.
Atletico's young squad of stars and starters tops La Liga, and further time together, in a much more stable all-round environment than Real Madrid can ever hope to offer, will only aid their improvement.
