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Al-Ittihad manager, Laurent Blanc, has said that La Masia is the heart of Barcelona. He also claimed the club wouldn't have survived without the academy, which has proved to be a successful system for developing young players.
Speaking to SPORT (via Barca Universal), Blanc highlighted how the youth academy has rescued Barcelona in difficult circumstances. He added that the LaLiga Giants might have fallen apart without the academy that has produced great players.
He said:
"Barça has gone through tough times, financially and administratively. But what pulled them out? The young players. For me, Barça has always been a great club with a great training centre – La Masia. That is the heart of the club. If there was no La Masia, Barça might not have survived. Without it, maybe the club would have disappeared or collapsed. It is the youngsters who saved Barça – Lamine, Pedri, Gavi… So many have emerged."
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La Masia was founded in 1979, and it has proven to be a system that reshapes the footballing pattern of young players. The academy likewise trains youngsters with the ideologies of Barcelona's basic Tiki-Taka playing pattern.
It has also produced some of the best football stars that the world has seen, including Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, and Lamine Yamal. Unlike several clubs, La Blaugrana have consistently relied on their youth system, which has been a cost-effective method of obtaining quality players.
Barcelona have suffered financial constraints in recent times, but players from La Masia have arguably helped the club remain relevant. A good number of the youth academy graduates, including Yamal, Pedri, and Gavi, were key figures in the Catalan squad that won a domestic treble last term. A report by GiveMeSport ranked La Masia as the Greatest Academy in Football's history in 2025.
"He only cares about and is interested in himself" - Alfredo Martinez on Barcelona's Marc-André ter Stegen
Spanish journalist Alfredo Martinez has ripped into Marc-André ter Stegen, claiming that the goalkeeper only cares about himself. He also said that the German international is losing the love of the supporters.
The relationship between Ter Stegen and Barcelona seems to be falling apart in recent months due to his unwillingness to leave the Camp Nou. Tribuna also reported that Blaugrana would have to remove 80% of his salary to register new goalkeeper, Joan Garcia, further complicating the situation.
In a post via his official X handle, Martinez wrote via Alfredo Martinez as transcribed by Barca Universal on X):
"Ter Stegen has every right to demand that his contract, which he signed for 3 years, be respected. But he has chosen a path where he only cares about and is interested in himself, not thinking about the club, and losing the love of the fans."
Amid the growing tension, SPORT also recently suggested that Ter Stegen might be removed as the club's captain. However, he remains contracted at the Camp Nou till June 2028.
The German has delivered 175 clean sheets in 422 games for the 2024-25 LaLiga champions.
