Who has the best second XI in the world?

[SirBalon]

Who do you think has the best second XI in world football?

 

In the age of the elite football club, the squad depth is the name of the game.  No longer is it just domestic football that counts these days because if you're the fan of an "elite club" then your club will most probably be playing three games a week in all competitions.  For this depth is needed and a strong squad of top class players is required.

I've taken this from the MARCA website and due to the ongoing question with Real Madrid where their second XI plays the better football and looks to be more balanced in every aspect, everyone has started to question how difficult it is to be a head coach and feel forced to play the marquee players at the club.

At Real Madrid for example you have the BBC (Benzemá, Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo) which Zidane and past coaches have felt forced by their president (Florentino Pérez) to play unless in forced reservation for big games and rotation.  Obviously most times it's a mix of habitual first XI players with a mass rotation (like last night for Real Madrid "picture above" where Zidane made 9 changes) and those that see bench time more often than not.

Where Real Madrid's second XI have performed better than their first team this season football wise, Barcelona's which is also a brandname filled team sheet hasn't done so.  Luis Enrique hasn't managed to balance out his second XI and the negative results for Barça this season (which have been many) have come 90% of the time on mass rotation weeks preparing for big games and resting "big" players.

Which for you is the best second XI in the world?

 

REAL MADRID

 

FC BARCELONA

 

ATLÉTICO MADRID

 

BAYERN MUNICH

 

JUVENTUS

 

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN

 

CHELSEA FC

 

MANCHESTER CITY

 

MANCHESTER UNITED

[Stan]

I'd say Bayern from those teams.

I thought Mkhitaryan was a first-teamer now? And Valencia?!

it's definitely not Barca. Real's attack with Morata, Asensio & James is quality.

[SirBalon]

I've gone for Real Madrid for the simple reason that every time Zidane has had to use them on a mass scale (something he's done and very few clubs apart from Barça have failed the necessity in Europe to do so this season) they've actually played better football.

Obviously MARCA have gone for an almost total second XI in most cases (certainly with Real and Barça) and they've (Real) performed BETTER than the first team where football is concerned.

Remember that both James and Isco are second stringers (yeah, amazing, but true) and nobody has anything of that level sitting on the bench most weeks.  Isco for me is one of the best footballers in the world and he's proved it this season in my view.  This is why he's been so clever in playing the waiting game on a new contract and has even entertained the club he supports which is Barcelona.  Coentrão is also in the Real Madrid second XI list but that's funny because I can't even remember him playing a game of football.

Here is Isco's performance from last night away to Deportivo La Coruña.

 

[Cicero]

Real easily. Their bench is almost 200mill

[nfb_10]

Seeing as Madrid's second eleven are the reason they won the league this season and have actually played much better football than their Gala eleven, I'd have to go with them

 

[Spike]

That second Real Madrid team is better than their starting XI  It's far more balanced.

[Harry]

 Hard to argue about Madrid wining this but it makes an argument about how unnecessarily wasteful they are to have such players sitting on the bench. 

[Mel81x+]

Real's second team is very good and full of long-term potential as well.

[SirBalon]

Well the proof is in the pudding and Real Madrid's second XI have a hell of a lot to do with the club winning their second La Liga title in 9 years.  Infact when the first team were seriously stuttering over the past 3 months, the second string (which incidentally has a lot of young Real players) steadied the ship.

[Asura]

On 4/27/2017 at 9:00 AM, Cicero said:

Real easily. Their bench is almost 200mill

This. So unfair to compare them with other clubs' second teams, most of the clubs' first teams are not probalby worth as real's second team

[Panna King]

What about Arsenal with Sanogo upfront??????????????

[Asura]

8 hours ago, VanPanna said:

What about Arsenal with Sanogo upfront??????????????

Show some mercy on the opponents mate, you are basically asking them to fight a battle they can never win