Barça's average age against Osasuna, the lowest in the League since 1995!

The rotations of Hansi Flick and the numerous injuries within the FC Barcelona squad allowed the Barça team to take to the El Sadar field with the lowest average age for the culés in almost three decades. Against Osasuna, Barça's XI averaged 23 years and 292 days old, with a total of 6 youth players and only 2 foreigners (Jules Koundé and Robert Lewandowski).

Although the German coach's experiment did not go well, the Heidelberg coach confirms his commitment to the kids to deal with a very tight schedule and a short squad. After the game, the Barça coach, although he was self-critical, made it clear that his objective, beyond trying to win every game, is to protect the players to avoid more injuries and try to play as well as possible.

"I think that after the break we will have more players recovered. There are many injured players, but it is not an excuse. In the second half, we played better. I think we are on the right path," argued Flick. For Barça it is the second defeat of the season and the first in the League, where they leave behind a streak of 7 wins in a row (11, counting the last 4 of 2023/24), but it does not compromise their leadership.

The last precedent of a similar 'baby Barça', much more positive

For the culés, the last precedent with such a young lineup dated from October 7, 1995, also as a visitor. The team then led by Johan Cruyff jumped to Benito Villamarín with an XI in which 8 youth players appeared and only one foreigner, the recently arrived Luis Figo. The duel ended with a 'little hand' in favor of the Barça team (1-5), with goals from Roger, Figo, Celades, Toni Velamazán and De la Peña.

That Barça formed with Busquets (Sergio's father); Ferrer, Sergi Barjuán, Abelardo, Carreras; Miguel Ángel Nadal, Roger, Figo, Juan Carlos Moreno; Velamazán and Óscar García. Pep Guardiola, De la Peña and Celdades would join the complement. The culés were third at the end of the season with 80 points, 7 behind champion Atlético de Madrid. That was Cruyff's last season on the Barça bench, leaving his position vacant two days before the end of LaLiga.