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Speculations and rumours may surround Barcelona’s board like sharks circle an abandoned ship but Bartomeu and his board members have continuously managed to dodge away any questions regarding the first team’s neglect towards the youth setup.
In a world of their own, far from the media reports and fanfare, the youth team continue to develop and excel, around the globe. In the picturesque streets of Switzerland, young and warm blood ran through the veins of eleven youngsters who represented their club and its traditions on the European stage
Returning to the final stage of the competition after an exile of four years, the U-19 Catalan side locked horns with the young guns of Chelsea.
The London based club were the favourites to lift the coveted title for the third time, but little were the people aware of the on-going title spree in Barcelona. Following the triumph of the big boys in the Spanish Cup, Cadet A lifted the league trophy of their division and shortly after the highly rated starlet Xavi Simmons lifted the league trophy for the Cadet B.
While the women's team battles it out against fierce rivals Atletico Madrid for the first division league title, the girls from the B team lifted another league title of their own and the U-19 team were in the mood to spoil the party. Winners of the Youth League, the youngsters won the title for the second time in the club's history.
La Masia has been ignored by Barcelona coaches for several seasons now. The last prominent promotion to the first team from the youth system came in the form of the versatile Sergi Roberto. Other promising talents like Carles Alena, Palencia, Cucurella and Abel Ruiz spend most of their time battling relegation within the Segunda Division.
While big money transfers from around the globe including the likes of Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes fail to find themselves a comfortable spot in the first team, younger and less experienced players reflect their talents and potentials in the lower rungs of Spanish football.
The ignorance of the board towards the youth system has returned to haunt them several times in the past. Whenever the first team fails to perform, fans use the moment to point out the lack of home-grown players in the squad.
Victory of the U-19 team in the Youth League could act as a blessing for the young boys as under-pressure Valverde looks for youngsters to replace ageing players in his double-winning squad.
Ricard Puig, a talented and young midfielder who represented his team in the final against Chelsea has been called up by Valverde several times in the past few months to participate in training drills with the first team. Although only time would tell Puig’s future at his boyhood club.
When would the board realise the lack of a proper youth structure within the clubs and start relying upon the Masia products instead of other athletes to reinstall the glory days of the past?
