MADRID, June 27 - Real Madrid president Florentino
Perez hailed their B team's promotion to the Spanish second
division as evidence of the strength of the club's youth system.
Real Madrid B lost 1-0 to Conquense on Sunday, but won 2-1
on aggregate, securing promotion eight years after being
relegated to the regional third division.
"Their promotion is a just reward because they deserve it.
It shows that the Real Madrid youth team is in good health,"
Perez told sports daily AS on Monday.
After a second consecutive season without a major trophy for
the senior side, the B team's success provides some much needed
good news.
Perez's policy of "Zidanes and Pavons" -- combining some of
the world's biggest names with players from the youth teams --
has come under fire recently.
With the likes of Zinedine Zidane unable to carry the team
on their own, criticism has focused on the lack of quality
players coming through the ranks to fill the gaps.
Central defender Francisco Pavon is the one player to have
secured regular first-team starts recently, following in the
footsteps of previous youth-team products striker Raul and
goalkeeper Iker Casillas.