In-form Alcantaraa real playmaker

Breaking into the centre of Spain’s midfield has lately been about as easy as breaking out of Alcatraz.

But the trio of Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets as platform and Xavi Hernandez as conductor could well be shaken up for the summer’s World Cup.

Because Thiago Alcantara showed in last Wednesday’s 1-0 friendly win over Italy in Madrid he — not Xabi or Xavi — is the most in-form playmaker now available to Vicente Del Bosque.

Until recently it seemed unlikely Thiago, still only 22, would even make the plane to Brazil. When the graduate of Barcelona’s La Masia academy made his international debut back in August 2011 he seemed the obvious future for club and country. But injuries, and especially the roadblock formed by Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas at the Camp Nou, left him on the fringes for both club and country for two full seasons.

Frustration led to last summer’s €25m move to rejoin his former Barca mentor Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich. Injury again intervened, and when he returned Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller and Philip Lahm were all above him in the pecking order.

Meanwhile Atletico Madrid’s 21-year-old Koke — physically stronger, also tactically excellent, but not as technically gifted — had become Del Bosque’s new young midfield favourite.

Since 2014, however, things have changed. Thiago has put together a string of superb performances, such as the display capped with a spectacular injury time winning goal at Stuttgart in late January, and is now undisputed first-choice midfield general at Bayern. That led to a recall from Del Bosque, and what could be seen as a slight dig at Barca as he joined up last week.

“I believe I am going through a nice moment,” Thiago told AS. “I see my team-mates trust in me, I trust in them 100%, and the result is a very good symbiosis. It is an honour to be one of Guardiola’s favourites.”

Del Bosque showed enough trust to put Thiago into Alonso’s usual role alongside Busquets in deep midfield last week against the Italians.

And the results were spectacular. In just his fifth senior cap, the youngster was central to everything good Spain did, especially in the first half before the usual mass of substitutions ruined the shape of the game.

The display also pointed to how Spain might evolve to avoid getting stifled by teams. Thiago can do the sharp, precision passes to keep the ball circulating and probe for gaps, but he also brings an ability to beat a man in a tight spot and then drive forward in possession. This ability to force a gap in massed opposition is also now missing at his former club, especially when Iniesta is unavailable.

Xavi especially struggled during the shock 1-0 defeat at Real Valladolid on Saturday, a result which dealt a huge blow to Barcelona’s title chances.

Del Bosque clearly liked the youthful vigour he saw on Wednesday. Alonso replaced Busquets at the break. Xavi and Koke stayed on the bench. Thiago played the full 90.

“He is a very active player, aware of everything in both attack and defence,” Del Bosque said of Thiago in his post-match press conference. “He distributes the ball well. We like him a lot.”

Thiago himself was cautious afterwards — happy with how he played, but keen not to get carried away.

“It is very easy to play in this team,” he said. “The World Cup is not a goal, I prefer to work on the short-term. My objective is to keep improving at Bayern.”

These were modest words, but confidently delivered.