TALENTS 'MADE IN LA MASIA': The 'jewels' of the Barça quarry that are making people talk

It is no secret that FC Barcelona has undeniably become a worldwide reference regarding the rise of young talents to its first team. Not only that, these emerging talents tend to settle quite positively in the top tier of the Catalan team, gradually gaining significant relevance in the international sports scene, positioning themselves as strong candidates to become future stars and increasing the prestige of La Masía as an 'endless diamond mine'.

In this regard, although currently there are no fewer than nine homegrown players identified in the Blaugrana roster, such as Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Marc Casadó, Alejandro Balde, Iñaki Peña, Fermín López, Héctor Fort, Marc Bernal, and Sergi Domínguez, it cannot be overlooked that behind these talented names in the Catalan youth football scene, there are other players who are also excelling in the lower divisions of the club and who could become great 'cracks' in the future.

The Great Promises of La Masía in Goalkeeping

In this sense, there are several names that, although they have not debuted in the first team, are not entirely unknown to the collective imagination of Barça fans. Here, we find cases like that of 18-year-old goalkeeper Diego Kochen (Barça Atlètic), who has been the third-choice goalkeeper in the first team on more than one occasion and is currently shaping up as a great project from La Masía, concerning the 'guardians' of the goal.

Additionally, the figure of Áron Yaakobishvili (Barça Atlètic), also 18 years old, stands out as a fairly complete goalkeeper who should not be overlooked.

The Great Promises of La Masía in Defense

In another context, a homegrown player who has been notably standing out and even had the opportunity to debut with Barcelona this season is Andrés Cuenca (Barça Atlètic), who is 17 years old. He is a promising left-footed defender, a rare characteristic in the first team, who also excels in bringing the ball out from the back, possessing the versatility to play as a left-back.

In addition, other names such as Landry Farré (Barça Atlètic), 17 years old, also stand out, who has the advantage of being a versatile player capable of playing both right-back and center-back, notable for his physical power and solidity in the duels he faces.

Similarly, there are talents like Nico Marcipar (Juvenil B), a 16-year-old defender, who is another young talent to keep an eye on, especially as a left-back, being very secure at the back and possessing a powerful shot from medium to long range. A little further down the hierarchy is Baba Kourouma (Juvenil B), a player with similar characteristics to Landry Farré, with good physicality and the ability to perform not only as a center-back but also in somewhat more offensive positions (central midfielder).

The Great Promises of La Masía in the Midfield

Speaking of the midfield area, there are other talents of the quality of, for example, Xavi Espart (Juvenil A), aged 17. This midfielder is characterized by having a profile similar to that of Marc Casadó, being a versatile player who can play both at the base of the midfield and at right-back. He is a 'blue-collar' player who works hard for the team. Another pivot is Pedro Rodríguez (Juvenil A-Barça Atlètic), aged 16, conceptualized as a more skillful player but who does not neglect his defensive capabilities.

It is also important to highlight the cases of the cousins Fernández, Toni and Guille, both 16 years old, but with different positions and profiles. While Guille (Barça Atlètic) is more suited to play in the midfield, with a more technical profile for creating play, but physically very strong to change pace and move into offensive positions, making it very difficult to face him in one-on-one duels, Toni (Barça Atlètic) is a 'player' more akin to Lamine Yamal, being a 'spicy' right winger, destabilizing and very creative.

The Great Promises of La Masía in Attack

In the most offensive area, pieces like Pedro Fernández (Juvenil A), 16 years old, stand out. This player plays in the role of attacking midfielder and possesses wide capabilities for creating play, making a difference with great creativity and 'cleverness'. He also stands out for his excellent shot on set pieces. Another attacking midfielder to watch is Juan Hernández (Barça Atlètic), 17 years old, showing characteristics of a 'magician' player: dribbling, ball control, and through passes are his daily routine.

Now, in the final third of the pitch, one of the names that sparks special interest is Óscar Gistau (Juvenil A-Barça Atlètic), 16 years old, a promising center forward considered a natural goalscorer. He is recognized as the "9" with the greatest potential in the academy, being a forward with a notable goal-scoring instinct, and he is not a static 'killer', as he also frequently drops back to participate in the play. Additionally, he contributes to the 'pressing' work in the defensive phase.

To conclude, it is relevant to mention two wingers: one 18 years old, Arnau Pradas, an unbalancing player with one of the best left feet at La Masía; and another 16, Sama Nomoko (Juvenil B). The latter is a fast winger who stands out for his ability to leave his rivals behind when he starts his run, becoming a constant threat in one-on-one situations, where it is also difficult to take the ball away from him due to his physical prowess.