Los Blancos have shelled out stratospheric sums over
the last decade, including €257.4m in 2009 alone, while the Catalans
have also spent significantly in the same time period
SPECIAL REPORTBy Ben Hayward | Spanish Football Writer
It is not quite cantera versus cartera. To say that Real Madrid buy big while Barcelona compete with their rivals' financial might merely by promoting youth talent is only a half-truth at best. Both Spanish sides spend serious sums in the transfer market, but over the last decade Madrid's outlay is indeed higher - los Blancos have shelled out almost a billion in player purchases since signing David Beckham in 2003, some €300m more than the Catalan club.
One more big summer signing and Madrid will surpass a billion in outlay on new signings, although the net figure for the last decade (also taking into account player sales in the same time frame) currently stands at €609.15m. Barcelona, meanwhile, have spent €648.35m since the summer of 2003 (when Joan Laporta took over as president and Ronaldinho arrived from Paris Saint-Germain). The Catalans' net total for transfer spending since stands at €429.61m.
In 2003, Barcelona brought in Ronaldinho (€32.25m), Rafa Marquez and the less successful Ricardo Quaresma as the Catalans kicked off a new project under Laporta. Meanwhile, Real recruited only Beckham (€37.5m) and allowed Claude Makelele to leave for €20m and join Chelsea. Despite making money through shirt sales, the Englishman's positive performances and a net spend of just €5.7m, selling the former France midfielder and dispensing with coach Vicente del Bosque proved to be disastrous decisions for the capital club.