Anyone care to share Rijkaards CL groupstage lineups in the 6th game when qualified.
Rijkaard wasn't afraid to give first team opportunites to La Masia. Check out this random lineup I picked out from the 2005/2006 season in MD34, away to Sevilla.
https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/37357
For those that don't want to click. Rodri of Barcelona B as CB, midfield of Gabri, Motta and Xavi (with Iniesta subbed on), Maxi Lopez gets the full game upfront. Oh, and 18 year old Paco Montanes gets 20 minutes.
Another Edit. This one is Rijkaard second season (04/05) with us, and the equivelent of the last game of the CL group stage. So the same as us with Valverde a few weeks back vs Spurs. Well except it is away, not at home.
https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/27465
Midfield of Xavi, VERDU!!!, Iniesta, Javito in attack and Fernando Navarro in defence. Rodri gets subbed on. Young Messi starts upfront.
I am sure I can find more examples where Rijkaard gave opportunities to La Masia.
Rijkaard played with youngsters in the 6th game of a group stage of a CL and in the last matches when La liga was secured.
That is awesome.
And I would like for EV to do the same.
Other than that, as I have mentioned before, in a season 2004/05, we had 4 knee injuries: DM Edmilson, DM Motta, CM/RB Gabri, CF Larsson.
He had only 2 fit CBs and a CB-DM Marquez who played as a DM since we lost two DMs due to longterm injuries.
In attack, we had only 3 fit players, Ronaldinho, Etoo, Guily.
So, Iniesta had to step in as a winger.
Except Iniesta, Rijkaard didn't want to use B team's midfielders or defenders, even though we had only 15 fit players (2 Gks, 2 LBs, 1 RB, 2 CBs, 1 DM, 4 CMs, 3 attackers=15 players iirc).
So, Rijkaard had NO ONE to play, he played the same players till death (that's why we bought Maxi Lopez in a winter) and didn't want to use other youngsters from a B team.
He used them only in the 6th game of a CL, since our players were dead tired for playing every single game in the same lineup (reserve Gk, LB Silvinho didn't play too much, so that means that Rijkaard used 13 players all season: Valdes - Van Bronckhorst, Puyol, Oleguer, Belletti - Marquez, Xavi, Deco - Ronnie, Etoo, Guily with only subs: Iniesta used as a winger and a midfielder and Gerard Lopez used as a DM and CM).
So, again, when Rijkaard used youngsters in a 6th game of a CL, it is hard to tell whether he was "investing in the future" or rested the whole team because our players were walking like zombies, like Rakitic in this season.<
And he ahd to rest them, to be able to win La liga in a spring.
Again, I would like to see youngsters in CDR and in a 6th game of a CL. I am against EV in that area.
Other than that, I don't see that Rijkaard has used youngsters way more than EV.
Plus, as always, he used Messi, which is a no brainer.
Plus, Iniesta who was one of the best young midfielders in the world, winning MVP on youth world cups.
Just sayin', but today Alena, Oriol and Puig aren't winning MVPs on youth World cups.
So, when Rijkaard was giving chances to a most promising young midfielder Iniesta, it is NOT the same as giving an equal amount of chances to Alena and Puig.
I know, I know, in the eyes of a lot of people, Alena and Puig could be the next big thing...
In the eyes of others, it is logical why Rijkaard has played Iniesta more than EV is playing Alena.