Barcelona starlet Carles Alena is La Masia's best hope of rejuvenation

Sooraj Kamath - Writer 19:11 04/12/2018
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Carles Alena.

    With 86 minutes on the clock and 1-0 up against Villarreal, Barcelona could have been punished for not putting the game to bed earlier. But an iconic move saw Lionel Messi drop a sublime pass across two lines of defence and into the path of 20-year-old Carles Alena.

    Though the youngster had only the keeper to beat, Sergio Asenjo has the reputation of being one of the best custodians in La Liga. Alena displayed the composure of a world-class player as he chipped the ball above the unsuspecting Asenjo and into the back of the net to make it 2-0 and job done. If Messi ever assisted Messi with a goal, this was how it would look. 

    Alena has long been touted as one for the future as he carries the tag of the poster boy of La Masia – their biggest hope of this generation. 

    We take a look at why the youngster has got Barcelona so excited. 

    Age: 20  

    Height: 1.80m  

    Place of birth: Mataro, Spain  

    Position: Central midfield  

    Barça B: 89 appearances, 18 goals, 14 assists  

    Barça first team: 10 appearances, 2 goals 

    Carles Alena of Barcelona scores his team's second goal past Sergio Asenjo of Villareal

    Carles Alena of Barcelona scores his team’s second goal past Sergio Asenjo of Villareal

    STRENGTHS: 

    Positioning 

    The most important prerequisite for the Barcelona style is positional intelligence. Alena likes to function as a right-side attacking midfielder. The 20-year-old positions himself in Xavi’s role but the elements of his game are similar to that of Andres Iniesta. The La Masia graduate’s astute sense of positioning allows him to exploit space and distribute the ball well. 

    Off the ball, the Spaniard always ensures that he’s within 10-15 metres of the player in possession and there’s ample space available for him once he receives it. 

    Attacking prowess 

    Often criticised for ‘boring football’ produced by tons of backward and sideways passes, Ernesto Valverde might find a much-needed solution in Alena. The midfielder can play the ball vertically better than Arturo Vidal, Denis Suarez and even Ivan Rakitic. 

    Alena can be dangerous when he advances towards the box and really has an eye for goal. The Spaniard is also great at changing the tempo of the game and can ease past defenders with his quick, silky movements. 

    Carles Alena

    Carles Alena

    WEAKNESSES: 

    Defending

    For all his virtues – like all mortals – Alena does have a few flaws. To start with, the youngster’s defensive attributes are not up to the mark. Valverde demands a high work-rate from his players and Alena’s reluctance to track back has at times worked against the youngster this season. 

    Alena often finds himself in advanced positions of the pitch and fails to run back to prevent the impending counter when out of possession. This can be a major factor behind Valverde favouring Rakitic to start every game. 

    VERDICT 

    Alena is La Masia’s best hope of providing the club with a world-class player. Having joined the club at the age of seven and climbed up the academy ranks ever since, the Golden Boy award nominee has shown that he is familiar with the Barcelona style of play and can be integrated to the first team as a regular soon. 

    However, it all comes down to what the manager thinks about the player. Valverde will have a massive role in Alena’s development, with his stay for next season confirmed.

    The club will also have to ensure that the youngster does not hunt for new employers in search of more playing time and they should consider their pursuit of PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot, or at least offload a player such as the disappointing Arturo Vidal with Alena pushing so hard for more action.
     

    Recommended