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Real Madrid vs Barcelona: Sergio Ramos vs Daniel Alves
- The two best right backs in world football
First up is the right back position and I think the answer is clearly NOT OBVIOUS in this case as both are extremely good, extremely fit, extremely motivated and extremely competitive. One thing to note about both these defenders is that they both made their BIG money move (to Barcelona and Real Madrid) while playing at Sevilla.
For Sergio Ramos, I still remember the season where he scored a cracker of a long range free kick against Real Madrid and won the game for Sevilla. Next season, he was wearing the white shirt such was his impact. Sergio Ramos is 23 years old and already has played over 150 games for Real Madrid and is definitely one of those players who are looked upon as future Rauls for Real Madrid.
Daniel Alves on the other hand is 3 years Ramos’s senior and is equally as talented. I wanted him to come to Real Madrid for the simple reason that his arrival would have meant that Sergio Ramos would have moved in the central defense and Ramos Pepe pair would have been the best in Europe (assuming Ramos learns to keep his head). But, it was not to be and Daniel Alves signed for Barcelona (man I so wished Chelsea would have signed him, but they signed a pretty good right back themselves who goes by the name of Bosingwa).
Anyway, here are their individual stats.
Sergio Ramos
Real Madrid
Spanish League: 2006–07, 2007–08
Spanish Supercup: 2008
Spain
UEFA European Championship: 2008
Spain (youth level)
UEFA U-19 Championship: 2004
Individual
UEFA’s Best new player of 2004–05[citation needed]
UEFA’s 2005–06 All-World Defensive Player of the Year
Don Balón Award for Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2005
Antonio Puerta Award.[1]
ESM Team of the year: 2007–08
ESM Team of the Month: April 2007, May 2007, September 2007, October 2007, November 2007, December 2007, January 2008
FIFPro World XI: 2007–08
Móstoles Sports Elite Award[2]
UEFA Team of the Year: 2008[3]
FIFA.com Team of the Year: 2008
Daniel Alves
Club
Bahia
Nordeste Championship: (2) 2001, 2002
Bahia State League: (1) 2001
Sevilla
UEFA Cup: (2) 2005–06, 2006–07
UEFA Super Cup: (1) 2006
Spanish Cup: (1) 2006–07
Spanish Supercup: (1) 2007
Barcelona
Spanish League: (1) 2008–09
Spanish Cup: (1) 2008–09
Spanish Supercup: (1) 2009
UEFA Champions League: (1) 2008–09
UEFA Super Cup: (1) 2009
FIFA Club World Cup: (1) 2009
International
FIFA World Youth Championship: 2003
Copa América: 2007
FIFA Confederations Cup: 2009
Individual
UEFA Cup Most Valuable Player : 2006
UEFA Super Cup Most Valuable Player : 2006
UEFA Team of the Year : 2007
Best Defender : 2008-09 (LFP)
(Source www.wikipedia.com)
Now, According to me, their ON FIELD ability COMPARISON goes like this:
Daniel Alves | Sergio Ramos
Acceleration 9 8
Aggression 8 8
Agility 8 7
Balance 7 8
Ball Control 8 8
Crossing 8 7
Curve 7 5
Dribbling 8 7
Finishing 6 5
Free kick 8 6
Header 7 9
Jump 7 8
Long Pass 8 7
Long Shots 8 5
Marking 8 8
Positioning 8 8
Reaction 8 7
Short Pass 8 7
Shot Power 8 7
Slide Tackle 8 8
Sprint Speed 8 8
Stamina 9 8
Standing Tackle 8 8
Strength 7 8
Tactical Awareness 7 6
I ll touch on few of these points briefly
SPEED:
Draw
Both of them a really really quick. There is one difference though. Daniel Alves runs with long fluid smooth strides (more like how Federer moves on the court, sorry for persisting with Football Tennis comparison) whereas Sergio Ramos moves with faster shorter steps (more like Nadal). Both are such good defenders that a trait such as speed (which is basically the one QUALITY one looks for in a right back) is only a small part of the package they both have to offer.
A slight advantage can be given to Daniel Alves as his built is lighter than Ramos’s (who is a brute).
AGILITY
- Look at this devil of a player
Winner: Daniel Alves
This one is a bit obvious. Daniel Alves has a smaller and much narrower build than Sergio Ramos which means that he is nimble on his feet while Ramos does not have that quick a footwork.
AGGRESSION
Draw
Both are extremely hungry for the ball whenever they are playing on that right hand side which sometimes leads both of them to neglect their defensive duties but like Roberto Carlos both are so good and both going forward and getting back. Now, some would say that how come it is a draw. Sergio Ramos gets a red card like every 5 games and Daniel Alves gets one in, I do not know how many games but there is the thing; Sergio Ramos’s red cards are due to him making harsh tackles that are not for winning balls but for avoiding damage. Like when he tripped Aguero this season from behind when Aguero was through on goal which earned him a red card. Daniel Alves, on the other hand, does not get that much red cards.
Now whether that is because Barcelona’s defense plays as a unit and does not isolate Daniel Alves or because Daniel Alves himself lets go of situations as such is another question. By the way, I do think that being a Real Madrid defender is a hell a lot difficult than being a Barcelona defender because Barcelona play their game differently. They pressurize from the front and try to win the ball in the midfield rather than at the back which is the case with Real Madrid. Real Madrid forwards and midfielders are poor when it comes to retrieving the ball from the opponent.
This is why, when you are defending for Real Madrid, there will be a lot of times when you will find yourself one on one with an attacker or making vital intercepts time and time again along with stepping up for offsides which is always risky. At Barcelona you do not get into these type of situations that often and credit should be given to their teamwork as their forwards support their defenders and in return defenders help the attackers. At Real Madrid it is more like, defenders do help the attackers and but attackers do not put in the work when it comes to gaining the possession back.
CROSSING
Winner: Daniel Alves
- Daniel Alves is a destructive force both at the back and at the front
I say this purely on the fact that it was Daniel Alves who provided the cross to Ibrahimovic to score from a volley in the El Clasico. Sergio Ramos may, from time to tome, deliver better quality crosses than Daniel Alves but if recent performances are anything to go by then I think Daniel Alves has the better cross. This is also be attributed to the fact that Real Madrid generally do not play the wing game while Barcelona do when their center oriented game is not paying off. Also, Sergio Ramos is more content to playing the ball back, maintaining the possession rather than taking the chance of loosing possession in case of an inaccurate cross.
STRENGTH
- Physically, Ramos is probably the most gifted right back in the world
Winner: Sergio Ramos
By looking at both men’s physique, you would think Sergio Ramos would own this one but no he does not. He does win though. That is also due to the fact that Daniel Alves is so fit. He is so strong. I have rarely seen him getting muscled out in any situation part of the reason can be that he does not get into my physical battles on the field but he does not shy away when a need arises. Sergio Ramos on the other hand has everything it takes to be a towering physical presence. That is why some people compare him to Fernando Hierro, a legendary Real Madrid defender, mostly known for his red cards.
TACKLING
Winner: (Sliding) Sergio Ramos, (Standing) Daniel Alves
A split in this attribute. Daniel Alves is a little more clever than Sergio Ramos in regards to predicting what the attacker is going to do next so he anticipates better and hence he can mug people easily. Sergio Ramos, again credit to his physique, is much better at sliding tackles.
- Yup. Ramos is the best
Overall, I think Sergio Ramos just edges Daniel Alves purely on the fact that Sergio Ramos can actually think like a striker and due to his height is a huge threat on set pieces both when attacking and defending. Plus, the fact that he is 3 years Alves’s junior. Anyhow, both are superb players and I would love to see them play for Real Madrid one day.
Let me know what you guys think, who is better? Sergio Ramos or Daniel Alves. Did I miss something?
HALA MADRID!!!
