News : Bayern candidate Roca: One like Busquets – Sport

If it needed further proof of how much the leading players worry about the international competitiveness of FC Bayern Munich in the coming season, then Robert Lewandowski. In the night of Wednesday he sat, like the news agency dpa reported in a "bleak basement" room at a Los Angeles stadium and put massive pressure on those working on his employer's composition of the next squad. "If you want to remember to win all the titles, you need reinforcements," said Lewandowski, meaning: immediately. "Now it's time to do something."

News from Europe had previously reached the west coast of the USA, which suggests that Bayern could actually move the transfer market soon. Spanish media reported that Bayern are in agreement with Marc Roca, Spanish U21 European champion from Espanyol Barcelona. Whether the young man falls into the category that Lewandowski means may tend to be more in doubt. The words of the Pole sounded more like he longed for players with ornate epaulets; for professionals who are not only hungry for victories, but already a bulging lineup of successes.

On the other hand, if it proves true what Roca sees as football, then the Spaniard may be closer to the status that Lewandowski has in mind than you might think at first glance.

In his Spanish homeland, the ritzy experts believe that Roca, 22, is a legitimate heir to the already gloriously blessed, verifiably grandiose Sergio Busquets of FC Barcelona. That Roca could step into Busquets's footsteps, he has just demonstrated at the U 21 European Championships in Italy, Spain won there the final against Germany 1-0.

Roca was not in the starting games of the Spanish selection in the first matches, but at the end of the tournament he was an indispensable part of the tournament. He had long since turned his head on the many scouts of top European clubs. However, he also owed his main role as the actor, a similarly steamy player for the tournament had canceled: Rodrigo Hernández, called Rodri, who played at Atlético Madrid last season. This was also swarmed by the Bavarians, but eventually succumbed to the temptation to be able to work at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola. The English paid for Rodri the fixed transfer fee of about 70 million euros, it was just below the amount paid by the FC Barcelona for another so-called new Busquets, the Dutchman Frenkie de Jong.

Roca is in contrast to De Jong and Co. to a rare species: He is left-footed

Already in March, as the scouts of clubs such as Paris St. Germain, Arsenal, Tottenham, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid romped in the stadium of Espanyol, called the newspaper El País this Roca "an obvious bargain". Because Roca may end his contract with Espanyol unilaterally, if someone triggers him with 40 million euros. Espanyol's tendency to be down-acted is non-existent, heard from sources familiar with the process. The demand for Roca is lively. And Bayern has served in the past fixed release clauses. The latter was the case with defender Lucas Hernández, who struck out at Atlético Madrid for 80 million euros, previously with Javi Martínez, who once left Athletic Bilbao. Bayern must decide rather quickly, can be heard at Espanyol.

It takes time to find a successor. The question now is whether Bayern is willing to pay so much for Roca. A residual risk remains so: unlike Rodri or de Jong (previously Ajax Amsterdam) Roca still has to prove that he is able to show its quality at the highest level. For the first time in years, Espanyol qualified for a continental competition last season (Europa League), while Rodri and de Jong were already in the Champions League with Atlético and Ajax Amsterdam respectively.

Nevertheless, the still young, viable Roca has in a "despite logical highs and lows brilliant season," which gives him the Barcelona-based newspaper Sports Certified, demonstrated his tremendous talent. In 35 league games he expressed that he has a good body control and technique at 1.84 meters in height, that he can read and direct games and structure his team with discretion and presence, that he overview and a look for the long pass has and is defensively strong. In addition, Marc Roca belongs to a rare species: he is left-footed.

"He's come to kick the door," said the coach, who made him debut at age 19 at Espanyol, Quique Sánchez Flores. Maybe you have to open such doors as Roca but sometimes also doors to explore their limit, such as at Bayern. Busquets could tell a story of it. In September 2008, Guardiola put him at Barça in the starting eleven, until then Busquets had played only third-rate in Spain. Ten months later he played in the Olympic Stadium of Rome. In the Champions League final of FC Barcelona against Manchester United, the Barça won 2-0.