FC Barcelona completed one of their greatest displays against Real Madrid, once again, with the stamp of La Masia. Up to seven academy players saw action on Sunday in Jeddah, with Lamine Yamal being the flag bearer of the 'Baby Barça' that has dazzled Europe this season with their strength and brilliant play. Pau Cubarsí, Marc Casadó, Gavi, and Alejandro Balde were the other three academy players in Hansi Flick's XI, while Dani Olmo and Iñaki Peña came on in the second half.
In total, 15 players from La Masia traveled with the team to Arabia, although three of them (Héctor Fort, Ansu Fati, and Toni Fernández) were not on the bench during the final. Overall, there were four underage academy players in the expedition to Jeddah (Lamine, Cubarsí, and Bernal, all three 17 years old, along with Toni, who is only 16).
They were joined by Fort (18), Sergi Domínguez (19), Gavi (20), Astralaga (20), Fermín López (21), Casadó (21), and Balde (21); along with others with more experience like Ansu Fati (22), Eric García (24), Peña (25), and Olmo (25). Barça is certainly happy about the return to the 1:1 rule to strengthen this year, but they must feel much happier about the fruits of La Masia's work.
The Academy Stands Up for Barça This Season
In a season where only two reinforcements arrived (one of them, Olmo, trained at La Masia), the academy has stood up for Barça. There was much talk last summer about the need to sign a pivot, an urgency that Marc Bernal and, above all, Marc Casadó have left behind. After the serious injury of the 17-year-old player last summer, the one from Sant Pere de Vilamajor took charge of the midfield.
In the Supercup final, the '17' was once again one of the best players on the pitch, with impeccable work in recovery and distribution. His assist to Raphinha for the fifth culé goal capped another flawless day for the 20-year-old midfielder, in whom Pedri has found the ideal partner to unleash all his football. The work of names like Eric García, Fermín López, and Sergi Domínguez himself has also been important so far. The B team is ready to lend a hand with the stamp of homegrown talent.