When Víctor Sánchez del Amo walked into Real Betis as their new coach in November, there were a number of tasks on the list of the young coach. Gustavo Poyet’s reign had left behind plenty of wreckage, including a divided dressing room, players frozen out and of course poor results.
At the top of this list of priorities was one name however, that of Dani Ceballos - the best young player at the club, and perhaps even the best player full stop. As well as Poyet’s own contribution to the reduced influence of Ceballos to the team, there were still problems stretching back to the summer of 2015.
Then, many thought Ceballos’ head had been turned for the first time. The bright lights of Madrid were calling him, as Real Madrid looked to continue their policy of snapping up Spain’s best young players. Jesus Vallejo and Marco Asensio were brought in from elsewhere, while Borja Mayoral was a product of their own. Like all of them, Ceballos was a cornerstone of Spain’s triumphant Under-19 European Championship side. Perhaps forgetting his age for a moment, Ceballos and his entourage flirted with a move away from Betis. Seeing that it wouldn’t be beneficial to leave at this early point in his career, Ceballos soon signed a new deal with Betis until 2020.
That was meant to put an end to the speculation, but instead it only continued to fester. Ceballos’ own performance level dropped on the field, and all of a sudden he began to not look like Spain’s brightest young talent but instead one who had already got lost along the way. 2015/2016 was meant to be Ceballos announcing himself as a household name in LaLiga. It turned out however his own house wasn’t even in order.
The attitude and intensity that made Ceballos such a sensational watch in Segunda was gone. As was the confident and swagger. Ceballos’ game is very much based upon tempo and rhythm; when he’s feeling the game he dominates spectacularly. At his best, there is almost a possessed edge to his play. Ceballos’ reaction in a 0-1 victory over Lugo in Betis’ promotion run is seen as legendary. Celebrating the vital goal, Ceballos dropped to his knees and flung into a state of euphoric rage, smashing his hands against the turf.
The 20-year-old saw the 2015/2016 season out with some improvement and the odd glimpse of his enormous talent, but a question mark still remained over whether his head was on straight. Summer passed without incident for Ceballos as Betis embarked on an exciting new project, with the promise of new boss Poyet. However player and coach rarely saw eye to eye, with Ceballos shrugging off suggestions his old bad habits had returned. The player even went to the lengths of hiring a personal fitness coach over the summer to keep himself in top shape, and on evenings during the season he put in an extra session. Poyet was unmoved however, and kept Ceballos out of XI’s week-in week-out.
“I didn’t get the logic that I was important during pre-season, then suddenly not a part of things a month and a half later” says Ceballos, referring to his team with the Uruguayan coach. Poyet didn’t outlast Ceballos at the club however, and a young coach in Victor came in to breathe life into a flat Betis side. His first priority was of course Ceballos.
“With his potential there has to be so much more” said Victor, referring to Ceballos’ progression in January. He too, before even arriving at the club, had seen the player underperform. Wasting that talent wasn’t an option for Victor, and for him to be a success as a coach at Betis then it would probably mean Ceballos becoming a core figure. In no time he has become that, offering himself defensively and offensively for the team - a feature that enthuses his coach.
“It makes me happy that he’s not only stood out from an offensive perspective but also because he stands out for his defensive work. He has the capacity to become some to regain possession as well,” stated Victor.
It’s maybe these aspects that have caught the eye of Atletico Madrid. With Gabi entering his first stages of decline, Ceballos is emerging as a genuine replacement. It’s easy to construe the player as simply an attacking outlet. His vision of the game and passing are fantastic, while his dribbling ability especially stands out this term. But there is now a maturity creeping into his game. Ceballos can sit and break up play, while also using his speed to cover spaces left on the field. The word ‘todocampista’ is one used in Spain to describe a complete midfielder, someone who can access all areas of play. Ceballos is touching all those points right now that make this type of player.
Performances against the biggest teams have stood out this season, but if you view Ceballos against a lower level opponent you can also see his enthusiasm is retained. There is a distinct level of motivation in his game again not seen since he drove Betis forward in their promotion year. It was then an 18-year-old was called upon regularly to give team talks in the tunnel, and offer encouragement to the players. Ruben Castro, in the most tense moments of the season, turned to Ceballos for leadership.
The little general has returned to Betis’ midfield, and LaLiga is a better place to be for it. He may not be the archetype Spanish midfielder of patience and endless passing, but Ceballos is no less important. In fact, going forward, he might well be the most vital player Spain are in possession of.
