THE 'BABY BARÇA' CRUSHED MADRID
Historical! Barça stormed the Bernabéu with 6 players under 22 years of age in their starting XI
Published:27/10/2024 - 00:16h
Updated:27/10/2024 - 02:11h
FC Barcelona crushed Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu (0-4) repeating its XI against Bayern Munich. Once again, Hansi Flick trusted 6 players under 22 years of age for a high-risk match
Hansi Flick repeated the eleven from the win against Bayern Munich in the Champions League (0-4) at the Santiago Bernabéu and, once again, FC Barcelona shone alongside the kids. Against Real Madrid (0-4), the Barça team attacked Chamartín with 6 players under the age of 22 in their starting lineup, a feat that had not been seen in LaLiga for 108 years.
Barça started with Pau Cubarsí (17), Alejandro Balde (21), Pedri (21), Fermín (21), Marc Casadó (21) and Lamine Yamal (17), with an average age of 24 years and 185 days. Real Madrid had done something similar in a Clásico, but in the 1915/16 season.
According to data from Alexis Tamayo, 'Mister Chip', the 'merengues' faced Barça on April 15, 1916 with 7 footballers under 22 years of age in their XI. It was in a Copa del Rey match that the 'White House' ended up winning by a landslide (4-2) in old Chamartín.
The XI of FC Barcelona against Real Madrid
- FC Barcelona: Iñaki Peña; Koundé, Cubarsí, Íñigo Martínez, Balde; Casadó (Elm, min. 65), Pedri (Gavi, min. 87), Fermín López (Frenkie de Jong, min. 46); Raphinha, Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal
Hansi Flick's trust in the kids makes the difference at Barça
After the win, Hansi Flick was happy with the team's performance. Casadó, with an assist, and Lamine, with a great goal, led Barça to a second half defeat to remember. Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha consummated the culé victory, breaking a streak of two seasons without victories, in the League, in the Madrid fiefdom.
"We have to build an atmosphere in which the players can show their quality. The atmosphere in the club and in the team is very good," argued the German coach in the post-match press conference. Barça will have a free day on Sunday and Monday, taking advantage of the fact that the next league match will be next Sunday, at home against Espanyol.
