Barcelona: Which Barcelona youngsters can rescue their team this season? – A few years ago Barcelona was criticized for having too many veteran players in their squad with the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Rakitic, Pjanic, Busquets, Pique, Alba being the experienced players and regular starters with just a few youth players getting a chance to play for Barcelona. Since then 4 players who were aged 30years and above left the club with Pjanic moving to Besiktas on loan, Rakitic moving to Sevilla, Lionel Messi to PSG and Luis Suarez to bitter rivals Atletico Madrid. Follow InsideSport.IN for the latest Football news and updates
This season Barcelona has completely relied on their young stars to help them salvage some positives this season with many experienced players out injured while some are struggling to find their form. Barcelona is a club that is brimming with young talents. Players like Ansu Fati, Pedri, Ronald Araujo, Riqui Puig, Gavi, etc, are all players who have immense futures ahead of them and, keeping in mind Barcelona’s current financial crisis and league position this could be a golden chance for them to impress and get some important minutes in the game.
Yusuf Demir, Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, Nico Gonzalez, Gavi and Alex Balde are the recent names that have featured for Barcelona in the recent game with injuries having sidelined their experienced stars. Out of this lot of talented youngsters, Nico Gonzalez and Gavi have been the regulars scoring vital goals and picking up numerous appearances in the season so far.
Still, Barca as a whole is not ready to fight the top European elites at the moment and they must rebuild the team with the help of their new coach, Xavi Hernandez, to reclaim their throne on top of European football. The team’s exit from the UEFA Champions League just shows how the management of the team has not helped the club on the pitch. With the most adored player in Barcelona Lionel Messi leaving the club has looked up to the young guns to save the season with some positives to build on.
The club is currently facing a dark time with the team’s exit from the Champions League and in the league, Barcelona are 16 points away from League leaders Real Madrid. Barcelona will now face Napoli in the Europa League as a new journey begins for Xavi Hernandez.
Barcelona – Nico Gonzalez and Pablo Gavira
Nico González arrived at FC Barcelona at the age of 11 from Montañeros, after Barça scouts had seen him play in a friendly in Galicia. His progress since then has been spectacular. González made his debut for Barça B at just 17 years old, in the last game of the 2018/19 season, in Castellón. The 2019/20 season saw him start in six UEFA Youth League matches and be called up for the promotion playoffs squad for Barça B. He played 18 league games for the Under-19s, in which he scored three goals.
He could have a great impact by learning from the best Centre defensive midfielders playing alongside him and becoming the best. Barca, though, had to battle to keep hold of the talented No.6 before tying him down to a new three-year contract in July that includes a €500 million (£430m/$585m) release clause.
Gavi earned his surprise Spain call as Luis Enrique fearlessly named the 17-year-old for the Nations League games. Gavi dominated in the game against European Champions Italy in the semi-final going head to head against Marco Verratti and getting the better of the PSG man. Then, in the final against France, he put up another solid display, albeit as part of a 2-1 defeat against the 2018 World Cup winners.
“He played like he was in the school playground or in the garden of his house, and it’s great to have a player of this quality and personality,” said Luis Enrique. There are already calls for him to be a regular starter at Barcelona as Gavi scored his first goal for Barcelona in a 3-2 victory against Elche.
Gavi became the youngest ever Spain player, breaking the previous record set in 1936 by Angel Zubieta. Gavi and Pedri’s performances have brought to mind legendary Barcelona midfield act Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta. Most thought it would be impossible for Barcelona to produce two players as good as them but it is now a distinct possibility.
In fact, at 17 and 18, Gavi and Pedri are ahead of where Xavi and Iniesta were at those ages. Gavi doubled Barcelona’s lead against Elche with an extraordinary goal after a solo move and a smooth finish to beat Edgar Badia.
⚽ 𝐆𝐀𝐕𝐈: 17
⚽ 𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐎: 19
⚽ 𝐉𝐔𝐓𝐆𝐋𝐀̀: 22💎 #DreamTeen pic.twitter.com/9DmINM18U5
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 18, 2021
The visitors netted twice in the space of one minute after the hour mark to draw level, but Gavi showed up again to set up Nico Gonzalez, who scored Barcelona’s winner to hand them all three points. Gavi doubled Barcelona’s lead against Elche with an extraordinary goal after a solo move and a smooth finish to beat Edgar Badia.
The visitors netted twice in the space of one minute after the hour mark to draw level, but Gavi showed up again to set up Nico Gonzalez, who scored Barcelona’s winner to hand them all three points.
“The game he played is spectacular,” said Xavi. “Because of his ambition and personality. Having him is a spectacle: his personality, what he generates, the goal, his assist. He is the future of the club.”
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Riqui Puig took to Twitter and Instagram to fight for his club’s elite status saying, “Those of us who are Culers since childhood like my family and I are not used to hard times like yesterday when we have only seen the club of my life win and celebrate titles like the Champions of Paris in 2006 with my father and brother. But I am sure that we will rise with the help of all and return to the place we deserve, among the best in Europe. Now more than ever we must be united and return to what made us unique. The players and staff will leave our skin to get it! Long live Barca!”
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