“Only 1 Barcelona Player is Good Enough to Start for Real”

Real Madrid recently enjoyed a successful 2023/24 season, winning three titles including La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup, and the Champions League.

The squad of Los Blancos is highly regarded, boasting some of the world’s top attacking stars such as Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo Goes, and Jude Bellingham.

Moreover, in this summer’s transfer window, the Santiago Bernabeu club further strengthened their squad with high-profile signings Endrick Felipe and Kylian Mbappe.

In contrast to the glamorous achievements of their arch-rivals, Barcelona is experiencing one of the darkest periods in its history. So far, Blaugrana has only signed one new player, Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig, and the Spanish star has yet to make an appearance for the Catalan club in the 2024/25 La Liga due to financial constraints.

The gap in quality between Real and Barcelona is widening, and recently, during a conversation on Onze TV3, expert Maroto asserted that Lamine Yamal is the only Barcelona player who could potentially start for Real Madrid.

“In my opinion, Yamal is the only Barcelona player deserving of a starting spot at Real,” Maroto said. “Real’s squad is continually being strengthened and has surpassed Barcelona. However, Yamal could definitely start alongside Mbappe, Vinicius, or Bellingham in Real’s attack.”

Yamal, who developed through the La Masia academy, had the opportunity to debut for Barcelona’s first team in the 2022/23 season under coach Xavi. The 17-year-old immediately showcased his talent and has become an indispensable part of the team at Camp Nou. In the 2023/24 campaign, the Spanish winger made 47 appearances across all competitions, scoring 5 goals and providing 7 assists.

During EURO 2024, Yamal also performed impressively, scoring once and providing 4 assists, playing a key role in helping La Roja win the title for the fourth time on the European continent.