FC Barcelona and Real Madrid have long been at each other’s throats in every aspect of their rivalry. Both the El Clasico giants have long fought to dominate one another in Spain, and their rivalry is one that still puts the world in awe. However, both Barcelona and their Madrid-based rivals also share some similarities.
Over the last decade or so, one of the primary objectives of both clubs was to dominate the South American market. Trading blow for blow, both Clasico rivals had their respective share of laughs.
Neymar Jr, Rodrygo, and Vinicius Jr are just a few of the names that have made their way to Spain from South America.
However, panic alarms are now starting to ring for these two European giants. Once being the undisputed powerhouses when it came to scouting in that region, their ‘monopoly’ could now be broken by others entering the market as well.
As highlighted by SPORT, Manchester City and PSG have already become dangerous for Barcelona and Real Madrid. In their latest acquisitions, PSG purchased two very promising Brazilian stars, while Man City acquired a great Argentinian pearl.
Unfortunately, two of those three players were also being targeted by Barcelona. Claudio Echeverri, from Argentina, and Gabriel Moscardo, from Brazil, are two very gifted players that Barça was previously following.
Ultimately, despite the reported interest of both players in joining La Blaugrana, the financial demands for their transfer could not be met by the Catalan club.
Previously, two of the most recent arrivals for Barcelona and Real Madrid also happen to come from Brazil. Vitor Roque, signed by Barcelona, and Endrick, signed by Real Madrid, hope to be great future additions to their respective teams. However, both PSG and Man City showcased exactly where their financial muscle kicks in.
PSG ended up paying €20 million each for Gabriel Moscardo and Lucas Beraldo. Man City, on the other hand, paid €25 million to activate Claudio Echeverri’s release clause and make him their own. This kind of economic luxury is something that Barcelona simply cannot afford at the moment.
The loss of the South American market to these new state-owned clubs could be a huge blow, especially for Barcelona. In their current state of financial limitation, Barça looked at the South American market as a relatively cheaper alternative to European prospects.