5 Barcelona youngsters who failed to justify their hype

Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, is famed for bringing through exquisite young players into the senior squad. The latest La Masia graduates to make waves in the senior Barcelona squad are Ansu Fati and Gavi, both of whom are still only teenagers.

Barcelona have produced some of the world’s best players in their academy

Players like Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Gérard Pique, Pedro and many more learned their trade in the Barcelona youth ranks before becoming superstars.

However, for every Lionel Messi or Andres Iniesta, there are hundreds who failed to make the grade at Barcelona.

Without further ado, here is a list of five youngsters who were the cream of the crop during their time at La Masia but failed to make it at Barcelona.

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#5 Gai Assulin

Tottenham Hotspur v Barcelona - The Wembley Cup

Dubbed the Israeli Messi, Gai Assulin was an impressive youngster who looked set to take on the world with Barcelona after he joined the B team. In his first season at Barcelona B, he played under Pep Guardiola as the side romped to victory in their league.

After their league triumph, Guardiola was poached by the senior side, and Assulin was one of the forerunners to move up with his manager. The Israeli youngster failed to make the cut and subsequently remained with the B team, enduring an injury-plagued season that saw him feature sporadically.

He made his debut for the senior side in the Copa Del Rey in the 2009-10 season in what was his only appearance for the club. His contract was terminated ahead of the 2010-11 season as he moved to Manchester City, where he again failed to make a senior appearance in the league.

Still only 30 years old, Assulin is currently without a club after having played in Spain, Romania, Italy, England, Kazakhstan and his native Israel in his career.

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#4 Alen Halilovic

Alen Halilovic in FC Barcelona colours in the 2014-15 season

Signed from Dinamo Zagreb in 2014, Alen Halilovic quickly became known as the Croatian Messi after scoring a Messi-esque chip for the B-team. The teenager found himself behind Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez in the pecking order and was forced to spend most of his time with Barcelona B.

Halilovic made only one appearance for Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey before being farmed out on loan to Sporting Gijon. The talented youngster secured a permanent move to Hamburg and has since played for eight different clubs.

Still only 25, Halilovic now plies his trade in the English Championship with Reading FC.

#3 Victor Vazquez

Barcelona v Rubin Kazan - UEFA Champions League

Part of the famed 'class of 87' team at Barcelona, which included Messi, Fabregas and Pique, Victor Vazquez was deemed to be the most talented in the team. The Spaniard impressed in the academy and was handed his first-team debut in 2008.

Injuries struck, robbing the talented youngster of several years of development. The midfielder had to wait two years before he notched up his first goal for Barcelona in a 2-0 win over Rubin Kazan in the UEFA Champions League. Vazquez left Barcelona in 2011 after seeing no clear path for himself, and has since played in five different countries.

Now 34, Vazquez plies his trade at Los Angeles Galaxy in the MLS, a far cry from what was expected of him as a youngster.

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#2 Giovanni Dos Santos

Real Madrid v Barcelona - La Liga

Dubbed "the new Ronaldinho", Giovani Dos Santos was a prodigy at the Barcelona academy. The Mexican forward joined Barcelona as a 13-year-old and rose through the ranks to make his first team debut as an 18-year-old in 2007.

Despite making 38 appearances in all competitions, Dos Santos remained at Barcelona for just one season before he moved to Tottenham Hotspur in search of regular playing time. Before leaving Camp Nou, however, Dos Santos scored a hat-trick on the final day of the season for Barcelona against Real Murcia to leave on a high.

Dos Santos is arguably the most successful player on this list, having made 107 appearances for his country. Now 32 years old, Dos Santos is without a club after his contract with America ended in 2020. Since leaving Barcelona, Dos Santos has played for eight different clubs till date.

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#1 Bojan Krkic

FC Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao - Copa del Rey

While at the famed La Masia academy, Bojan Krkic emerged as one to watch, scoring a reported 900 goals. The Spaniard went on to star for the Spanish U-17 team as they finished second in the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Bojan made his first team debut in the 2007-08 season, breaking Lionel Messi's record as the youngest player to feature in a La Liga match. He became the first 1990s born player to score in the UEFA Champions League and earned the trust of Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola from a tender age.

Since making an explosive start to his career, Bojan has suffered a disappointing decline, with his slight frame working against him in this physical game. The Spaniard left Barcelona in 2011 for AS Roma, but was re-signed in 2013. Despite scoring 41 goals in 163 appearances for Barcelona, Bojan was never good enough to lead the line for the club and left once again for Stoke City.

Now 31, Bojan plays alongside former Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta for Vissel Kobe in the J-League.