In the realm of soccer’s most iconic rivalries, few have captivated the fans like an enduring clash between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. However, Barcelona head coach Xavi has made a bold claim. He has said that the rivalry between Real Madrid’s future signing Endrick and Barcelona’s future signing Vitor Roque could recreate the same rivalry.
The comments from the Barcelona legend could be good news for La Liga fans. They could finally see a rivalry like both the soccer icons had during their stints for the La Liga giants, respectively.
Xavi backs Vitor Roque and Endrick to impress ahead of their potential arrivals
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The young Brazilian stars Vitor Roque and Endrick impressed in the Brazilian league this season ahead of their moves to Blaugrana and Los Blancos. Their performances have not gone unnoticed. Barca manager Xavi has very high expectations from both the youngsters. He said, “Future duel between Endrick and Roque like Messi and Ronaldo? They are players with very high expectations. Let’s see. It’s too early to say it, but hopefully. Hopefully, Vitor Roque’s signing will be at the level of Messi or Cristiano.”
Xavi: "Future duel between Endrick and Roque like Messi and Ronaldo? They are players with very high expectations. Let's see. It's too early to say it, but hopefully. Hopefully Vitor Roque's signing will be at the level of Messi or Cristiano."
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) December 19, 2023
These comparisons clearly show that both youngsters are performing at elevated levels. It is the reason both clubs invested substantial transfer fees on their signings. Barcelona will pay a total fee of $66.9 million for his signing. The Los Blancos will pay $64 million for his signing. This type of transfer fee for 18- and 17-year-olds indicates they came highly rated by the respective club scouts.
Read More:- Real Madrid Bound Endrick Surpasses Neymar as He Wins His 2nd Brazilian League Title at 17
Both clubs have cosmic plans for the young stars ahead of their arrival. The Brazilian star forwards will potentially serve as marquee forwards for the present and future.
Barcelona and Real Madrid will probably benefit from their arrival immediately
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The case with Barcelona is that their primary striker is Robert Lewandowski. He has done well this season, scoring eight goals in La Liga. However, he is on the wrong side of the age bracket, being 35 years old now. The La Liga giants have also faced problems with converting chances. It led to a loss against Girona and a draw with Valencia. Hence, Vitor Roque provides that solution. He has scored 21 goals and has provided eight assists in 45 games.
The case of Endrick is a little different. Real Madrid has scored plenty of goals through their star midfielder Jude Bellingham. However, they still have the space of a star striker in the squad. Endrick is the perfect candidate. He scored 11 goals in 31 games. He also was selected for Brazil’s national team for qualifiers against Argentina and Colombia.
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There is no doubt that both Brazilian forwards have the potential for a rivalry like Lionel Messi and Cristiano. But the question is, who makes an everlasting impact, whether it is Endrick or Roque? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.