Well, think about it this way - if Alba was not good enough for the team in the first place, the entire discussion wouldn't have even existed. So at that point, the Masia/Catalunya comments do make some sense, as in why he should be given the advantage over someone else. That's my view. But I get what you're saying, only if the players are "equal". But for example, I see a lot of comparisons between Alexis and Pedro these days, and many people "complain" how Pedro has been equally as bad, but is receiving better treatment and has a safer place in the team because he's from La Masia. Many people might find it infuriating that I say this, but I don't see anything wrong with that. People are even saying how they'd rather sell Pedro than Alexis. If you had to sell one of them, why would you hold on to a player that's only been here for less than 2 years, is a foreigner and hasn't done much here in terms of football, and sell one that's (for the sake of argument) been equal during the last 2 years, but has been here for almost a decade, comes from your very own youth academy, cost nothing, fits into the team like a glove, has had streaks of brilliant performances and scoring and has been present during and has contributed to the club's most successful era? I don't see the logic in that.
People act like Pedro has somehow suddenly forgotten to score for Barça while he still scores for Spain. Doesn't it occur to any of you that the opponents play Barça differently now than they did a few years ago? And that with Messi camped central against buses, Pedro and Villa have been instructed to hold the touchlines (until the recent adjustments against Sevilla and Milan), even though it nullifies their best attacking skills?
