Barcelona has proven in recent years that it is a team built from its youth academy. With big signings, but always keeping a good number of players from the academy in its lineup, the Blaugrana team seems to have now embarked on a new successful era under Hansi Flick, with La Masía very much in evidence in all the achievements of this season, which has seen the team win the Spanish Super Cup, the Copa del Rey, and LaLiga.
The academy takes center stage
As we said, players from La Masía have been key players throughout the season in the team’s success. The Barça DNA has been more present than ever with the presence of a magical Pedri in midfield, and above all with Lamine Yamal who, at only 17 years old, has become one of the best players in the world with galactic numbers in terms of goals, assists, and dribbles.
They have not been the only ones. In practically every position, there have been players from La Masía who have played a significant role, such as Pau Cubarsí in defense, who at only 18 years old is an undisputed starter. The same can be said of Alejandro Balde on the left side of defense. Eric García has been the perfect wild card for the German coach, as has Fermín López, who has finished the season in fine form. Gavi and Casadó were also important players until their injuries. The youth and hard work of the academy have paid off this season, and that is why the club wants to continue investing in young players and molding them with the Barça DNA.
The two gems that Barcelona has in store
To continue growing in this regard, it is necessary to invest in young talent for the youth academy and work from the lower ranks to strengthen the first team in the future. It is undoubtedly an added bonus for future players to know that Barça is promoting its youth academy, so signing for the Blaugrana is almost a guarantee that with talent and hard work, they can end up in the first team.
The latest players Barcelona has set its sights on to ‘fish’ for young talent, according to Sport, are Mikkel Bro Hansen and Abdellah Ouazane, both 16 years old. The club is aware that, in addition to being a good investment in sporting terms, they could also be good business in the long term, as has happened in the past.
Bro Hansen, from Denmark, plays as a center forward for Bodo/Glimt. The young player would be a bet for the future for a position that has been the subject of much speculation in recent months. There has been talk of the need to find a successor to Lewandowski for the future. At first, there was talk of players who would arrive to compete for the position. However, in recent weeks, with the Polish striker injured, Ferran Torres has stepped up and shown that the replacement is already in the house. This has led to a change of opinion at Barça, who are now thinking more about the future, knowing that they have the position covered for the time being.
The other name, Ouazane, is a midfielder who alternates between the pivot and attacking midfield positions and is one of the jewels of the Ajax youth academy. Right now, Barça’s midfield is overcrowded, but, as with the forward line, the club is thinking about the future and developing players who, in a couple of years, could be the new Lamine Yamal.