Whereas Barcelona have suffered a tough few years by their requirements, there are many indicators of encouragement for his or her followers – as this good XI of younger stars demonstrates.
Numerous their big-money signings have didn’t stay as much as expectations, though that didn’t cease Xavi from signing Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski in the summertime, however Barcelona have already got some very gifted kids on their books.
We’ve compiled an Xl of their finest Underneath-23 gamers, organized in a 4-3-3 formation.
GK: Inaki Pena
Admittedly, this doesn’t get off to the most effective begin.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who turned 30 this yr, is firmly established as Barcelona’s first-choice goalkeeper and a 33-year-old Neto serves as his back-up.
Pena is but to make his first-team debut however has produced some spectacular performances for Barcelona’s B facet, serving to them win the UEFA Youth League in 2017-18.
RB: Sergino Dest
After having fun with a powerful breakthrough season with Ajax, Dest reportedly rejected curiosity from Bayern Munich earlier than finishing an £18.7million transfer to Barcelona in 2020.
Regardless of battling kick-ups throughout his presentation, the right-back was a daily starter underneath former boss Ronald Koeman and revamped 70 appearances for the membership.
We’re dishonest a bit right here as he’s presently out on mortgage at AC Milan, the place he’s struggled to search out common alternatives, however his performances for the USA on the World Cup confirmed he shouldn’t be written off. Dest is a gifted participant and we wouldn’t be shocked to see him thrive in the correct set-up, although that appears unlikely to be Barcelona.
CB: Ronald Araujo
Araujo joined Barcelona from Uruguayan outfit Boston River in 2018 and was initially assigned to their reserves in Segunda Division B.
The 23-year-old made his first-team debut in opposition to Sevilla in October 2019 however was despatched off simply 13 minutes after coming off the bench.
He nonetheless did sufficient to earn a everlasting promotion to the senior squad forward of the 2020-21 season and was handed their No.4 shirt.
The Uruguay worldwide has since proved himself to be an astute defender and can also be an actual menace within the opposition field, scoring six La Liga targets for Barca.
“I’m very completely happy to have Ronald on the staff,” Xavi stated final November. “He has such an amazing character. He celebrates the whole lot and to have that sort of profile as a defender, to be so engaged with the staff, and have fun the whole lot is tough to search out.
“We welcome him with open arms as a result of it’s spectacular to see him practice, he’s so optimistic, he has a superb character and that’s elementary to us.”
Araujo seals the factors for Barca! 🔵🔴
An incredible leap and a strong header from the nook, and an essential 3 factors for Koeman’s facet 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RvGjD9oanM
— Viaplay Sports activities UK (@ViaplaySportsUK) April 22, 2021
CB: Eric Garcia
A La Masia academy graduate, Garcia spent 4 years at Pep Guardiola’s Manchester Metropolis earlier than deciding to return to Barcelona on a free switch in 2021.
He’s thought to be the long-term successor to Gerard Pique however has already grow to be a distinguished participant at Barcelona, beginning 23 video games in La Liga through the 2021-22 marketing campaign.
And, in contrast to Araujo, the Spain worldwide is famend for his wonderful technical capability and likes to deliver the ball out of defence.
LB: Alejandro Balde
Balde’s spectacular performances for Barcelona’s B facet caught the eye of Europe’s greatest golf equipment, together with Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool.
However the teenager determined to signal a brand new contract at Barcelona and made his senior debut in a Champions League defeat in opposition to Benfica in September 2021. However he’s actually kicked on this season and has arguably usurped Jordi Alba in Xavi’s finest XI.
His performances have been spectacular sufficient to catch Luis Enrique’s eye, and he was a last-minute call-up for the La Roja squad in Qatar.
CM: Nico Gonzalez
Barcelona have been upset to see Ilaix Moriba go away for RB Leipzig in 2021 however they nonetheless have loads of gifted midfielders at their disposal.
Gonzalez, who’s the son of Deportivo La Coruna legend Fran, made 37 appearances for Barcelona final season and has been in comparison with Sergio Busquets attributable to his function in midfield.
“[Nico] is a participant who can mark an period,” former Barcelona B supervisor García Pimienta informed Mundo Deportivo in August 2021. “If the whole lot goes to plan, he’s going to be the inheritor to Busquets.”
That point isn’t fairly but. He’s presently out on mortgage at Valencia, however we’d be very shocked if he doesn’t return to make his mark on the Camp Nou within the close to future.
CM: Pedri
Whereas Barcelona have made some horrible offers in recent times, they need to be praised for signing Pedri for simply €5million from Las Palmas in 2020.
The midfielder loved an excellent debut season at Camp Nou, turning into one in every of their standout performers and scoring 4 targets in 52 appearances in all competitions.
He enhanced his burgeoning status throughout Euro 2020, beginning all six of Spain’s video games within the competitors as they reached the semi-finals. And it stays to be seen how far Pedri and Spain could make it in Qatar.
Pedri’s performances for membership and nation noticed him rewarded with the Golden Boy award in 2021, turning into the primary Barcelona participant since Lionel Messi to win the prize.
READ: Name an exorcist – Messi’s soul’s taken Pedri’s physique & this dummy is proof
CM: Gavi
The youngest participant on this record, Gavi impressed in pre-season and was promoted to Barcelona’s first-team squad forward of the 2021-22 season.
He made 47 appearances in all competitions and is being in comparison with his present boss and near-namesake Xavi.
“The way in which he performs the sport is spectacular and he has ambition and character,” Xavi stated in December 2021. “He’s the way forward for this membership. However not solely him, additionally Araujo, Balde, Nico, Abde [Ezzalzouli].
“They’re the way forward for the staff and the membership. They’re a improbable era. At that age I used to be scared, however they’re fantastic.
“Gavi is a distinction maker and I’m delighted to have him, however I don’t wish to evaluate him to anybody. He has no ceiling.”
The 18-year-old additionally made his Spain debut of their UEFA Nations League semi-final win in opposition to Italy in October 2021, turning into the youngest participant to ever characterize the nation at senior degree. Now he’s shining on the World Cup.
RW: Ferran Torres
Regardless of their monetary struggles, Barcelona determined to spend an preliminary £46.3million to signal Torres from Manchester Metropolis in January 2022.
The 22-year-old winger, who got here by Valencia’s academy, scored 16 targets in 43 appearances for Metropolis and helped them win the Premier League and EFL Cup in 2020-21.
Torres struggled to make a serious impression through the second half of final season as Barca recovered from a poor begin to end second in La Liga. He’s nonetheless not fairly caught hearth at Barcelona, however there’s undoubtedly a gifted participant there – simply watch him shine for Luis Enrique’s Spain.
READ: Where are they now? The 14 Barca kids given debuts by Pep Guardiola
ST: Angel Alarcon
Alarcon is probably one of the few players on this list that neutrals haven’t heard of but we doubt that’ll be the case for much longer.
The 18-year-old joined Barcelona’s La Masia academy from Espanyol in the summer of 2018 and has been a prolific goalscorer at youth level.
He’s certainly one to keep an eye on.
Ángel Alarcón • El Killer • 2020/2021. 💥
Some of Ángel’s best moments this season. Alarcón is a dynamic and mobile striker who can score goals from almost anywhere. Great finishing, acceleration, balance. He impresses with off-the-ball movement, intelligence, and positioning. pic.twitter.com/eKeUweJ89V
— Piotr Guziński (@Nyctophile1_) April 28, 2021
LW: Ansu Fati
The jewel of Barcelona’s crown, Fati made his senior debut on the age of 16 in August 2019 and later turned their youngest-ever goalscorer.
After scoring eight targets in 33 appearances in his breakthrough season, he then missed most of 2020-21 and Euro 2020 attributable to a critical knee harm.
The Spain worldwide was given Barcelona’s iconic No.10 shirt following Lionel Messi’s departure and, regardless of one other injury-hit marketing campaign, confirmed sufficient flashes of high quality to assist the widely-held opinion that he’s the most effective younger footballers on the earth.
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