What you need to know about Barca's Munir El Haddadi

FACT FILE

• Date of birth: September 1, 1995
• Place of birth: El Escorial, Spain
• Height: 5ft 9in
• Position: Forward
• Clubs: Barcelona B, Barcelona; 1 app, 1 goal
• National: Spain U19; 3 caps, 3 goals

The 60 second story

It's perhaps ironic that Barcelona’s newest star was born in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a small town within the autonomous community of Madrid. Now, nearly 19 years later, Munir El Haddadi finds himself labelled as the next big thing at Real Madrid’s fiercest rivals. 

The 18-year-old’s rise to stardom is an interesting one. Aged 15, El Haddadi – of Moroccan heritage – was snapped up by Atletico Madrid after impressing on trial. Yet, for reasons unknown, he was shipped out on loan to fourth-tier Rayo Majadahonda – a stint which would play a pivotal role in his short career to date. 

During his time with the Madrid minnows, Munir scored 32 goals in 29 matches. Unsurprisingly, his form sent alarm bells ringing all over Europe; from England, the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal took interest in the starlet, while Paris Saint-Germain also showed interested.

However, it was when Barcelona found out that rivals Real Madrid were in the hot seat to sign the attacker that the Blaugrana came to the fore. Legend has it that, during negotiations, Real Madrid refused to provide him accommodation within their academy residencies. Barca, diplomatic as ever, offered him a place in their newly built €11 million facility. The choice was simple, and Munir inevitably headed north.

Why you need to know him

Since his arrival at La Masia, Munir has continued to impress and was given his chance to shine in the UEFA Youth League – the Under-19s version of the Champions League. On his debut he scored a brace against Ajax, before showcasing his striking prowess in several other impressive performances en route to the championship. He netted a brace in the final against Benfica, which included a magnificent strike from halfway in a comfortable 3-0 win.

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Earlier this year the 18-year-old made his professional debut for Barca B, and netted four goals in 11 appearances last term. 

Luis Enrique’s arrival as coach following the departure of Gerardo Martino was always going to be good for the youngster, and he was soon promoted to the first team. In addition, the suspension of Luis Suarez and Neymar’s injury meant the Spaniard has earned chances to prove his worth. By the end of pre-season, he was the Catalans' top scorer with four goals.

Strengths

Despite his young age, Munir exhibits maturity well beyond his years. At 5ft 9in, the teenager is a diminutive forward who exerts confidence and elegance on the ball. The left-footed attacker is pacey and, more often than not, has a trick or two up his sleeve.

It's his ability in front of goal which makes him most formidable, though – that aforementioned halfway wonder-strike is just one example of what he can do. Overall he is technically sound, and equally competent at taking set-pieces.

Weaknesses

Although brilliant with his left foot, Munir is less impressive with his weaker right. At times, despite finding himself in good goalscoring situations, his weaker peg lets him down. 

They said...

"I had no fear about playing him," claimed boss Enrique after Barcelona's opening day 3-0 win over Elche. "He trains like he plays, he gives us a lot of options and he has a lot of character. He never rests. But let's not get carried away, he still has a lot to do."

Did you know?

As a youngster, Munir often looked up to his team-mate “the excellent Messi” as an idol, and tries to base his game on that of the former Ballon d’Or winner. Perhaps even more surprising is the fact he still looks up to QPR player Adel Taarabt, with whom he could yet play with internationally after opening the door to the country of his parents' heritage. With the way things are going at the moment, it might be Taarabt who says the same of the youngster in a few years’ time.

What happens next?

Fortune is on Munir's side. With Suarez suspended until late October and Neymar still recovering from an ankle injury, the door is open for the young attacker to prove his worth. Should he keep his momentum going, the chances will keep on coming – and so will the goals. Expect him to take La Liga by storm in the seasons ahead. 

Why Falcao's Manchester United transfer raises more questions than answers

Radamel Falcao presented as a Manchester United player. Source: Getty Images

Following a lacklustre season in which Manchester United failed to qualify for the Champions League, Van Gaal entered the fray as Moyes’ successor with renewed hope of overhauling a depleted squad bereft of quality. Yet, months into his stint as manager, and it seems little has been done to restore pride to England's most successful club.

Perhaps their latest league outing is a prime example of how far United have fallen.

Slow and overburdened in defence and uninspired in attack, Van Gaal's troops slumped to a 0-0 draw against a recently promoted Burnley outfit which, on paper, is vastly inferior.

While it seems every department is in desperate need for change, forwards, though, should be the least of Van Gaal's worries. Indeed, Rooney and Van Persie still aren't at their explosive best. Slowly but surely, the duo are beginning to regain their form.

Surely, a buying another defender, or midfielder, for that matter, would be more worthwhile?

Instead, Falcao's signing on a loan deal represents another instant of Manchester United's panic buy strategy to appease fans. As for the player himself, it's another example of an illogical transfer.

For much of this summer, the Old Trafford outfit have given their followers much hope of reinforcing the side in the areas they need most. True to form, though, nothing has materialised and for Woodward, it has been another farcical window with no clear transfer policy.

The likes of Arturo Vidal and World Cup winner Mats Hummels have constantly been linked with moves to Manchester. Both are players of the highest calibre and their signings would go a long way to fixing the club's issues. Nothing, though, has been done to back up such interest.

For all it is worth, though, Woodward has shown that he can smell a bargain from a mile away. But he doesn't seem to understand how football works. Their latest signing, in many ways, is similar to their signing of Juan Mata earlier this year, a player who clearly doesn't fit the bill. In addition, Falcao is only starting to find his feet again following a cruciate injury which ruled him out of the World Cup.

The transfer itself also raises questions of Falcao's ambitions. For the second consecutive season, the Colombian has arrived at a club which will not feature in a European competition. I'm fact, he has only featured in the Champions League once - for Porto back in 2011. The fact that such a player with humongous potential sees no need to play against the best in Europe's premier club competition is a incomprehensible.

How Falcao fits into the 3-5-2 set-up is another worry. With the aforementioned duo already occupying the front two offensive spots, it seems as if pushing one of them out of the squad to make way for the 28-year-old could be a dangerous move? One which leads to more unrest in the
dressing room.

All that in conjunction with the recent departures of Patrice Evra, who in many ways was a defensive rock, Shinji Kagawa and Chicharito, or seems that Mancheater United are transferring themselves to destruction.

€200 million spent and numerous signings later, Manchester United are no closer to addressing their issues in defence and midfield. Indeed, the signing of Falcao raises me questions than answers for both the club and player. For United, it seems mediocrity is the way to go.

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Munir El-Haddadi: Profile of Barcelona's newest star

For many, there was only one star in Barcelona’s win over Elche in their first league outing of the season: Lionel Messi. With Enrique opting to play an inexperienced side, which saw six La Masia graduates start alongside each other, the Argentine led by example, scoring a brace as the Blaugrana ran away with a comfortable 3-0 win at home.

Following a disappointing 2013/14 season, it was hailed as the 27-year-old’s return to form, a pure master class which evoked the memories of the past. However, it would be foolish to neglect the exploits of a certain Munir El-Haddadi, whose performance has finally put him under the spotlight.

Luis Enrique’s return to Barcelona, following previous spells as a player then later coach for Barcelona “B” team, was met with jubilation; his arrival was always going to be beneficial for youth players. With their proud history of youth development, the promotion of promising talents into the first team is, essentially, what separates this club from the rest.

With Alexis sold to Arsenal, Luis Suarez banned until late October after biting yet again and Neymar recovering from both a back and ankle injury, it seemed the next chapter in Munir’s career could not have been written any better. And the young attacker has proved his worth.

Read the rest of this piece on The Independent

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Barcelona: Why La Blaugrana Still Have Work to Do During the Transfer Window

I'm completely dissatisfied with the year that has passed and I'm always thinking that I'm the man responsible. For sure, there were justices and injustices. It's hard for me to tell which were which. But I can say, as I said when I left Barca, that I feel responsible for their really bad year.

Thus far, Enrique has instigated the changes that were needed. Not only has he bravely promoted La Masia graduates Rafinha, Munir El Haddadi and Jordi Masip to the first team, he has also spent the cash n shoring up deficiencies his side may have, most notably in defence.

There is an old adage which states that competition amongst players only serves to push each other to greater heights. This could not be any more appropriate when describing La Blaugrana's summer additions.

In order to address Victor Valdes' departure, via the Daily Mirror, in came Claudio Bravo and Marc Andre ter-Stegen, per the Daily Mail—two established goalkeepers who will now fight for the No. 1 jersey.

The above statement also holds true for Barca's defensive acquisitions—Thomas Vermaelen, per BBC Sport, and Jeremy Mathieu, as noted by the Guardian—who are replacements for the recently retired Carles Puyol.

Both acquisitions have come under intense scrutiny, though, with many arguing that Mathieu, a natural left-back and Vermaelen, who has endured a terrible record of injuries over the past few years, having only managed to make 14 Premier League appearance last term, per Squawka, are not adequate signings to deal with the side's defensive frailties.

Nevertheless, both players are leaders of men in their own right and should be good enough fill in the void left behind by the former Barcelona captain in the short term.

In midfield, the signing of Ivan Rakitic, per the FC Barcelona website, has been a masterpiece as the 26-year-old Croatian has seamlessly slotted in to the side, while the signing of Luis Suarez, via Sky Sports, will undoubtedly add firepower to an attack which, at times, seemed sterile and uninspired.

Questions, though, have been raised with regard to the departures of Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas, players who were both held in high esteem at the club.

However, £130 million and eight summer signings later, La Blaugrana undoubtedly still have work to do before the transfer window slams shut. And their recent transfer ban should provide added incentive to bring in the signings they desperately need.

Indeed, Enrique has done well to reinforce a side which desperately needed a revamp. They should be fine this season. The thought of relying on their current crop of players in the long run, though, is absurd and could prove to be a risky move.

The transfer ban will only be effective come January, so with that in mind, Barcelona have another week or so to ring in the changes to the squad.

Concerns remain over a long-term successor of Xavi who, throughout the whole of the summer, has been linked with a move away from Camp Nou, with claims that he would leave for MLS side New York Red Bulls, per AS (h/t ESPN).

Either way, at 34 years of age and arguably in the twilight of his career, Xavi is no longer the key to Barca's midfield and buying a younger replacement would be an ideal solution.

Then there's obviously the Catalans' aging defence. With Mathieu about to turn 31, the injury-prone Vermaelen at 28 and the out-of-sorts Pique aged 27, a younger, more reliable defender of similar calibre is needed to ensure that Barcelona don't find themselves struggling in defence, as has been the case for the past few seasons.

There's also the question of how rivals Real Madrid will react to Barca's ban. Real always spend big—this summer is no exception. Thus far, Los Blancos have managed to sign players such as James Rodriguez, as per the Guardian, Toni Kroos, via the Daily Mail and Keylor Navas, as noted by BBC Sport.

Atletico Madrid, too, have made some shrewd transfers this summer, with Mario Mandzukic, per the Daily Mail and Antoine Griezmann, noted by the Daily Mail, joining Diego Simeone's La Liga-winning side. Any sort of advantage both clubs can gain could potentially see them pull away from Barcelona in years to come.

So far, Barcelona have done well to recruit and overhaul a side in decline. Yet, as evidenced above, more needs to be done by Enrique in what's remaining of this transfer window in order to guarantee success in the long run.

Real Madrid: How Summer Transfers Have Changed the European Champions

When Carlo Ancelotti entered the fray as Real Madrid's head coach last season, it was clear that there was one objective in mind: to win the 10th Champions League title that had so often eluded his Galaticos.

Now, 12 months later, with the European and domestic cup double in the bag, Ancelotti can boast of a side which, arguably, is stronger than that of last season. But all may not be as rosy as it seems.

Indeed, part of last season's success story came down to the enviable fact that Ancelotti had inherited—and improved upon for that matter—a Madrid side that had strength in depth.

So much so that the departures of Mesut Ozil (to Arsenal to £42.5m as per The Guardian) and Gonzalo Higuain (to Napoli as per BBC Sport)—two of the club's most integral players who had played crucial roles under Jose Mourinho—were quickly forgotten.

Up stepped Angel Di Maria who showed why he is one of the world's most underrated attackers. A winger by trade, the arrival of Gareth Bale for a world-record of €100m (per The Guardian) seemed to have forced the Argentine to make do with a spot on the bench.

In a twist of fortune, however, Di Maria became arguably the side's most important player.

As Isco struggled with Ancelotti's style of play, the 26-year-old exhibited versatility which saw him coolly slot in as a central midfielder.

Read the rest of this Real Madrid piece on Bleacher Report

FourFourTwo A-League Review Portfolio

Cronan's analysis work features extensively on FourFourTwo magazine. Here are come shots from his latest work.

 

Socceroos Valiant in Defeat

There was a collective groan amongst Australian football supporters early December last year when the World Cup groups were drawn. The collective dismay was understandable given that the Socceroos were drawn in what was billed as the ‘Group of Death’.

With world champions Spain, 2010 runners-up the Netherlands and South American dark horses Chile all in their group, the Australians faced the near impossible task of proving their quality and progressing into the knockout stages. And while they were unable to claim a single point, their performances against the world’s best were, admittedly, admirable.

In the lead-up to the opening matches, Coach Ange Postecoglou often spoke of his side’s fearless mentality. After all, the mastermind controversially opted to select a vastly inexperienced 23-man squad, 10 of whom plied their trade in the A-League. And fearless they were.

Unforeseen and unscripted, the underdogs proved their credentials, and although they were unable to replicate their brilliant run back in 2006, the future of Australian football is bright.

Their opening encounter against Chile was just the start of better things to come. Understandably, the Socceroos got off to a nervy start and an aggressive Chile forward-pack attacked the Australians in a stampede-like manner, Australia’s defence was seemingly tatters. Two goals in as many minutes says it all.

And yet, unlike the previous sides under the tutelages of Holger Osieck and Pim Verbeek, Australia took the match to their opponents, attacking and exploiting their gaps. A draw was seemingly on the cards and if it were another night, it’s arguable that Ange’s men would’ve come away with at least a point.

Their exploits did not end there. The Netherlands were under the pump from the off in their second match, creating numerous chances. Yet again, when they fell behind, the Socceroos epitomised the Australian ‘never say die’ attitude, and hit back seconds later, with a Marco van Basten-esque volley courtesy of Tim Cahill. And while the score-line reads as a loss, for many, it felt just like a win.

And while they were unable to salvage a point against a Spain side that finally looked like they were at their imperial best, the Socceroos exited their tournament with heads held high.

Indeed, amateur errors were made time and time again, but that can be left for another time. What has been impressive about Australia’s campaign is the quality that, contrary to popular belief, showed they can match it with the best - a far cry from 6-0 consecutive losses to Brazil and France months ago.

Most importantly, though, they earned the respect of the wider footballing community, and instead of negative defensive tactics which are so often used nowadays, the Australians took it to the best in the world. For Australia, the only way is up, and an exciting future lies before them.

The Coach - Ange Postecoglou

Having previously never featured in a World Cup, Ange Postecoglou was given the task of preparing his team to take on the best countries in the world. His job was only made the more difficult by the reluctance of his predecessors to regenerate an ageing squad - their tactics too were conservative at best. And yet, the former A-League Coach was able to deliver the goods, getting his side to play attractive football and he instilled a mentality which allowed them to perform beyond public expectations.

Player of the Tournament - Tim Cahill

With such an inexperienced squad heading into a World Cup for the first time, Tim Cahill, who had previously featured in the 2006 and 2010 editions, was tasked with leading Australia’s attack. And he showed why he is now regarded as Australia’s most accomplished player. The former Everton man scored two goals, both of which gave the team hope. And his leadership qualities aided Australia’s cause.

Memorable moment - Tim Cahill’s volley

It’s not every day that a player scores from a volley, let alone in a manner which evoked memories of the past. Cahill’s Marco van Basten-esque volley against the Netherlands is one for the ages - his technique was impeccable. And the situation of the match itself only makes the goal more memorable.

Results

13-Jun-14	Chile	3-1	Australia	Group B
18-Jun-14	Australia	2-3	Netherlands	Group B
23-Jun-14	Australia	0-3	Spain	Group B

Group B	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Netherlands	3	3	0	0	10	3	9
Chile	3	2	0	1	5	3	6
Spain	3	1	0	2	4	7	3
Australia	3	0	0	3	3	9	0

Squad

No	Pos	Player	Apps	Goals	Assists
1	GK	Mat Ryan	3	-	-
12	GK	Mitchell Langerak	-	-	-
18	GK	Eugene Galekovic	-	-	-
3	D	Jason Davidson	3	-	-
2	D	Ivan Franjic	1	-	-
19	D	Ryan McGowan	3	-	-
6	D	Matthew Spiranovic	3	-	-
22	D	Alex Wilkinson	3	-	-
8	D	Bailey Wright	-	-	-
13	M	Oliver Bozanic	2	-	-
23	M	Marco Bresciano	3	-	-
16	M	James Holland	-	-	-
15	M	Mile Jedinak	3	1	-
21	M	Massimo Luongo	-	-	-
17	M	Matt McKay	2	-	-
5	M	Mark Milligan	1	-	-
11	M	Tommy Oat	3	-	-
14	M	James Troisi	2	-	-
20	M	Dario Vidosic	-	-	-
4	A	Tim Cahill	2	2	-
9	A	Adam Taggart	1	-	-
10	A	Ben Halloran	3	-	-
7	A	Matthew Leckie	3	-	1