Regarding Roberto vs Semedo, as one user posted, Cruijff sad: if you have two ewually good players on the same position, always pick a La Masia guy.
When Rijkaard came, he sold all players and kept only La Masia guys: Valdes, Puyol, Oleguer, Gabri, Motta, Xavi, Iniesta.
We surely had better players than Gabri and Oleguer.
And those players were sold.
But La Masia guys=always stay.
Pep sold Ronaldinho, Deco, Etoo, Gudi, Yaya, Henry, Edmilson, Thuram, Zambrotta.
But kept Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, Valdes and promoted even new La Masia players.
I remember a lot of foreign players saying in interviews in the past regarding playing in England or Germany: you, as a foreign player, always need to be at least 20% better than a domestic player.
ONLY THEN you will earn your starting spot.
If you are equal, in 90% of cases a club will opt for a domestic guy.
So, if Roberto and Semedo are both meh, it is not a huge surprise that a club will play and keep a domestic guy.
That happens in majority of clubs all over the world.
It is what it is.