'97 vintage on the charge

1997 may be remembered in the Liga BBVA as the year in which Fabio Capello's Real Madrid snatched the title away from an FC Barcelona side for whom Brazilian great Ronaldo scored 34 goals en route to being crowned the division's top scorer. However, it was also the birth year of a group of starlets who are taking the league by storm this term at the age of just 18. Jorge Mere, Mikel Oyarzabal, Adalberto Peñaranda and Borja Mayoral have forced their way into their respective coaches' plans this season and have repaid the faith shown in them with some great performances.

Adalberto Peñaranda has been one of the revelations of the campaign since making his Granada CF debut against Athletic Club back on Matchday 12. From the very first minute the Venezuelan whizz-kid showed the fearlessness that had caught his manager's eye, and his hard work and endeavour on the pitch began to bear fruit. Goals would follow, including a burst of four in as many matchdays, earning him a place in the exclusive club made up of players to have netted at least four Liga BBVA goals before their 19th birthday. He has the likes of Raul Gonzalez, Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Fernando Torres for company.

Mikel Oyarzabal bewitched former Real Sociedad coach David Moyes during pre-season and the Scot handed him his Liga BBVA bow just a few months later. The midfielder has received even more opportunities following the arrival of Eusebio Sacristan in the dugout, and his quality has shone through. His dribbling and shooting ability are making their mark for La Real: the academy graduate has scored three times in the league and become a regular in the team.

Jorge Mere had already showcased his potential for Spain's various age-group teams and he hasn't had to wait long to get his chance at first-team level for R. Sporting. The centre-back made his debut against Rayo Vallecano and his assured displays, coupled with a serious injury to fellow centre-half Bernardo, have seen him hold down a spot in the side. At the tender age of 18, Mere has already made 17 Liga BBVA appearances.

The latest member of this coterie of 18-year-old debutants in the Spanish top flight is Real Madrid striker Borja Mayoral. After impressing for the club's youth ranks, where he became the most prolific academy graduate since Raul, Mayoral was given the tough task of deputising for the injured Karim Benzema in the local derby against Atletico Madrid. Mayoral's efforts thrilled Zinedine Zidane, with whom he had previously worked with the reserves, Real Madrid Castilla, and he has featured in the club's last three league matches in spite of the fierce competition for game time.
Peñaranda, Mayoral, Mere and Oyarzabal are not the only members of their generation who are making waves.

Also born in 1997 was Adrian Marin, who burst on to the scene at El Madrigal for Villarreal CF. The full-back has racked up seven appearances in the Liga BBVA this season, all of which came in the starting line-up, an achievement made more remarkable by the fact that he had to bounce back from a serious injury that curtailed his first-team breakthrough and sidelined him for several months. Last but not least, another promising member of the '97 vintage is R. Zaragoza defender Jesus Vallejo, whose fantastic performances in the Liga Adelante persuaded Real Madrid to snap him up as one for the future before loaning him back to La Romareda.