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#3 Pepe Reina
It is easy to forget that iconic Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina came through the ranks at La Masia. The son of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid goalie Miguel Reina, Pepe Reina made his La Liga debut in the 2000–01 season. He spent two seasons at Barca and made 49 appearances across all competitions.
The Spaniard was tipped to be the next big thing at the club before Victor Valdes took over. Reina left Barcelona after the 2001-02 season and joined Villarreal with whom he spent three years. He then went on to sign for Liverpool at the start of the 2005-06 season and excelled for the Reds.
Reina won the FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Supercup with Liverpool. His FA Cup performance against West Ham United was particularly unforgettable, as he saved three penalties to ensure Liverpool emerged as victors. The 39-year-old currently plays for Lazio and has made 17 appearances so far.
#2 Laurent Blanc
Laurent Blanc joined Barcelona on a free transfer in 1996 from Auxerre. Blanc was Bobby Robson’s first signing after he took over the reins from legendary Johan Cruyff.
The centre-back was a born leader and was particularly impressive with the French national team, winning the World Cup and the Euros. Blanc spent a year with Barca and made 38 appearances in total. He won the Spanish Cup and Spanish Super Cup during his time with the Blaugrana.
Blanc left Barca and joined Marseille in 1997. He then had short stints with Inter Milan and Manchester United and retired in 2003.
The Frenchman has since taken up management. He has coached the French national team, Ligue 1 sides Bordeaux and Paris Saint-Germain, as well as Qatari outfit Al Rayyan.
#1 Oriol Romeu
Oriol Romeu joined Barca’s La Masia from Espanyol’s youth team in 2004. The Spaniard was a reliable presence in Barcelona’s B team but found it hard to get into the senior squad. Romeu made his debut in the Spanish Super Cup against Sevilla in August 2008.
The 18-year-old was thrown into the fray as Barcelona's normal first-teamers were still unfit after the World Cup. Without the likes of Busquets, Xavi, and Iniesta, controlling the midfield was always going to be a tough ask. Barcelona lost the game 3-1 but Romeu's performances were quite impressive.
Romeu sadly made just one more appearance for the Blaugrana due to Javier Mascherano’s signing, who was used as a backup in midfield. The Spaniard then joined Chelsea at the start of the 2011-12 season and spent loan spells with Valencia and Stuttgart.
The 30-year-old joined Southampton in 2015 and has been with the Saints since.
