Hansi Flick’s Barcelona have been flying across all competitions this season, and it is almost shocking how young the core of the team is.
La Masia, after all, has been at the root of the team’s resurgence and has provided talents across the field who are now bonafide regulars.
The current crop of La Masia stars is broadly seen as the academy’s next biggest boom after the generation of Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi.
Scouting the right players young and bringing them in, needless to say, is vital for the same and Albert Puig, the former director of the academy, was one key pillar ensuring the same.
Former La Masia official speaks
Speaking to the media in a recent interview, Puig commented on his work at Barcelona over the years and how several of the investments he made back then were now paying off.
He began by outlining the players he signed for Barcelona when responsible for youth scouting.
“The last two we signed were Marc Bernal, who arrived from Gimnastic Manresa in the 2014-15 season, and Lamine Yamal, who was signed in February 2014 when Isidre Gil and Oscar Hernandez saw him in January in La Torreta,” he added on the two latest players he signed, notably both of whom have bloomed.
Elaborating on Yamal and how the youngster was during his early days at Barcelona after arriving at the academy.
“Espanyol already had him in tests, but we brought him in February and incorporated him into training. Although he was a freshman, he trained with the youngest and he did great.”
“He talked to La Torreta, his mother came and in September 2014 he officially joined Barça,” he added.
Puig also spoke on all the other current successes he was responsible for signing, all of whom are now prominent in the first team.
“Before, we signed Hector Fort, Alejandro Balde, Inaki Pena (whom I took directly), and Dani Olmo, who I signed as a coach at the time of Alexanko and Benaiges.”
“Then there are Cucurella (Chelsea), Nico Gonzalez, Abel Ruiz, Ilaix, Carles Pérez… There are many. There are also Kubo and Brahim, which was a special case,” he elaborated.
The former director of La Masia was then asked if there were any players he signed who he felt would surely succeed but did not.
“If we talk about a player who had impressive conditions and did not arrive, Seung-woo Lee would say. When we signed players like Inaki Pena, Dani Olmo or even Lamine, we could not foresee if they would reach the highest level.”
“No one can assure at the age of 13 that a child will be a world top. Messi, for example, improved every year. Some players stagnate in training and others in professionalism,” he added.
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