Barcelona's Average Age

[BarcaOG]

It concerns me a great deal that many of our players, particularly those who form the core of our team, are in the latter stages of their career. The players that led Barcelona to victory over the past five or so years are already or will soon be in their thirties: Puyol, Xavi, Alves, Iniesta. And our little Leo is already 26 (something I have a hard time coming to terms with every time it is mentioned).

Barca's average age is 26.6. Keep in mind that this number is offset by Neymar's arrival (he's 21).

What concerns me is that many of Europe's elite have a solid base of young, promising players. Aside from Neymar (and maaaaaaaybe Montoya/Tello), Barca does not. Consider the average age of players at the following clubs:

Real Madrid: 25.7
Chelsea: 25.5
Man U: 25.8
Bayern: 25.3
Dortmund: 24.8
--

PSG: 25.7
AS Monaco: 25.1
(The French clubs aren't elite but they have the potential to be, specially PSG).

Am I the only one concerned about this?

 

[DonAndres]

We've loaned out future first-teamers (Rafinha and Deulofeu) and in terms of spewing out talents from La Masia, the club is in a transitional period between generations. Pretty soon guys like Dongou, Sandro, Samper, Bagnack, Traore, Grimaldo, etc. are going to be knocking very hard on the first team door and we might even have a problem of overcrowding. Under Tata I expect some of them to be called up more often for training or substitute appearances. This past season (12/13) has brought some worry over our youth policy and squad aging, but next 1-2 years is gonna show the evolution of the team with young guns ready to take over from our great veterans.

 

[BarcaOG]

You have a point, but the players you mention won't be making headlines until at least four years from now.

I'm talking about the next 2-3 years of competition. A lot of clubs have snapped up promising players who have delivered already (gotze, isco, phil jones etc) while Barca has recently let go of its promising jewel (thiago).

 

[DonAndres]

Well we're going to have a transitional period, it's bound to happen. All the other clubs you mentioned have had those kinds of periods for a good 6 years or more, at least ours is less than 3. Honestly we'll be fine in those 3-4 years, the only true impending veteran replacements we need are for Xavi and Puyol (Valdes I consider separate). We'll definitely find a CB to replace Puyol currently and we have cantera players for the future in that role as well, but Xavi is going to be a bit trickier. I'm not going to lie, if we don't get Oliver then we'll have to stick with Cesc-Iniesta in midfield for a while or change our midfield tactics and roles, but hey that's just a product of time and evolution so we'll have to deal with it as it comes, we can't always have every situation be perfect.

 

[ceefoo]

As long as we stay within the parameters of above 25 and below 28 years of age (average), then I don't see the cause for concern.

A couple of years ago Chel$ki's had an ageing squad, and now with a few new signings, it's dropped to 25.5 you state.

Are you including Goalkeepers in the average squad age? They really should be excluded from the outfield players as it has little baring on the youthfulness of the squad.

As DonAndres said; we have a lot of young talent coming through our cantera, and if anything, we may even struggle to accommodate them all and will probably need to loan or sell some of them, hopefully with buy-back clauses for the better ones.

 

[ShandyFFM]

Current Barcelona 25 player in the squad average age is 26,6

Real Madrid 26 players in the squad average is 25,7

Bayern 28 players average 25,3

Dortmund 24 average 24,8

Manu 31 players 25,8

Arsenal 26 players 25,9

Chelsea 29 players 25,5

Mancity 25 players 26,9

PSG 31 players 25,7

So you see Barca is pretty old huh ?

 

[ceefoo]

So you see Barca is pretty old huh ?

Comparatively, yes. But as I said, 26.6 is below 28, so it's NOT old.

 

[ebc_99]

Those stats don't mean much as Barca's average age is in the prime range, it is best that it is 26 or 27, not too old or too young. In a couple of years time Puyol and Xavi will be gone and a new generation will break through, we have alot of teenagers that look very promising and our first 11 is a perfect mix of youth and experience.

-----------------Valdes---------------
-------------------31
Alves -------Pique------?----------Alba
-30----------26--------------------24
-----------------Busquets---------------
--------------------25
---------Xavi/Cesc----------Iniesta--------
-----------33/26--------------29
----Alexis---------Messi-------Neymar---
-----24-------------26-----------21

If we bring in a CB in his mid twenties and Cesc plays in midfield then we will have a perfect mix.

 

[Jadentheman]

I told you guys BArca needs more young blood and some of you guys disagreed with me too. Can't do some things if the midfield is aging. We're gonna end up like Milan was 3-4 seasons ago

 

[Irish_Cules]

I told you guys BArca needs more young blood and some of you guys disagreed with me too. Can't do some things if the midfield is aging. We're gonna end up like Milan was 3-4 seasons ago

Xavi is old. The rest of the midfield is not. Cesc and Busquets are still some way from being 30 while Iniesta still has a few years left at the top.

 

[Trickykid]

I told you guys BArca needs more young blood and some of you guys disagreed with me too. Can't do some things if the midfield is aging. We're gonna end up like Milan was 3-4 seasons ago

Right, do tell who - besides Xavi of course - is aging? Iniesta just turned 29, and should be at his peak for at least 2-3 seasons more. So, that leaves us Busi, Cesc, Song, Roberto. Add to that Rafinha on loan. Yeah, dude, like totally old!

 

[Corb]

We start looking like Milan.

 

[Indignado]

If we had a 20-year-old instead of Pinto, we'd be below 26

 

[Trickykid]

Come on, Jaden, when you spew your nonsense, you could at least have the decency to follow up on it.

 

[Galning]

26.6 is old now? Next Milan? What the hell?
It really is the new cool thing to complain about anything now isn't it? There's nothing wrong with the age of our squad Or do you really think in 3 years that team will still be our starting line-up?