Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Real Madrid can well be written off as a pre-season game with little importance. For Hansi Flick, however, the result meant much more.
The German tactician revealed after the game that he was not happy with certain facets of the team’s performance.
Simultaneously, however, El Clasico did bring its own set of positives for the Blaugrana, especially in the form of young academy stars and their adaptation to the highest level.
Stars shining bright
Pau Victor, who played for Barça Atletic last season, starred on the night with a game-defining brace. Marc Bernal and Marc Casado meanwhile were critical and flawless in managing the midfield.
Another young academy star who impressed on the night was Alex Valle, especially considering that he was thrown into the deep end without much preparation.
A left-back by trade, the youngster was deployed at right-back in New York. Going up against Real Madrid, meant he was faced with the duty of defending against Brahim Diaz and Ballon d’Or candidate Vinicius Jr.
Alex Valle was a standout performer against Real Madrid (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Despite being put to a stern test, Valle stood out for the Blaugrana as he completed 88% of his passes, made three key passes, created one big chance and recorded an assist against Real Madrid.
Future to be secured
Valle’s current contract with Barcelona runs until the summer of 2025, meaning he is currently in the final year of his deal.
What makes the 20-year-old’s situation even more dangerous is the fact that his release clause currently stands at just €3 million after dropping from €8 million at the beginning of the month.
The Catalans did not exercise the clause to extend his deal that they had until August 1 and now risk losing him for an astonishingly low fee if a renewal is not agreed at the earliest.
As revealed earlier this week, sporting director Deco is eager to finalise the renewal of the young star and his performances in…
Author : Adithya Eshwarla
Publish date : 2024-08-04 17:14:50
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Author : soccernews
Publish date : 2024-08-04 17:15:33
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.