Hansi Flick continues to champion youth development at Barcelona | OneFootball

Since taking over the reins at FC Barcelona this past summer, Hansi Flick has expressed tremendous admiration for the club’s renowned La Masia academy.

Following his initial summer training sessions, wherein he got a closer look at a number of young talents from the academy the German coach consistently highlighted the exceptional quality of Barça’s youth development in interviews.

Not stopping at that, Flick’s words of admiration for La Masia and its talents have swiftly turned into action on the pitch.

Flick’s immense trust in the Barcelona academy

During pre-season, Marc Casado emerged as a standout player, logging the most minutes on the club’s USA tour. This momentum continued into the league, where Hansi Flick rewarded Marc Bernal with a starting position in the opening match against Valencia.

Bernal, just 17, impressed Flick and quickly became a key figure in midfield. Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending injury in the third match. Yet, instead of using injuries as an excuse, Flick has sought solutions within the club’s ranks.

Flick’s firm belief in Casado has resulted in the young midfielder becoming nearly indispensable while waiting for the return of Fermin Lopez or Gavi – both La Masia products.

Thriving under Flick. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Most recently, for the match against Getafe, the German showcased his commitment to youth by selecting a staggering 15 players from the club’s youth ranks.

This was the highest representation of homegrown talent in the squad this season, surpassing previous games against Villarreal and Monaco where 14 players were also included.

Among the familiar names such as Inaki Pena, Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde, Ansu Fati, Casado, Lamine Yamal, Eric Garcia, Ander Astralaga, and Hector Fort, Flick also called up members from the Juvenil A squad, including goalkeeper Aron Yaakobishvili.

The likes of Andres Cuenca, Guille, and Toni Fernandez were also present and will again be involved tomorrow in the squad for Osasuna despite being away with Barça Atletic tonight.

Remarkably, six of these 15 players started the match against Getafe, marking a significant milestone for the club.

The Fernandez cousins are regulars in first-team training. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website)

Not long before that, in a surprising move, Flick fielded a starting XI that included young talents Gerard Martin and Sergi Dominguez in a daunting game against Villarreal at an imposing venue like Estadio de la Ceramica.

More recently, young goalkeeping talent Iker Rodriguez also got an opportunity to train with the first team.

Continuing a storied tradition

From day one, Flick made it clear he believed in the abundance of young talent at La Masia, and has not been shy of handing opportunities to deserving players irrespective of their age.

This commitment to nurturing homegrown talent aligns perfectly with Barça’s philosophy, something Flick fully understands.

The German manager continues to scout talents from Barça Atletic and the youth teams. Indeed, he has been spotted at numerous matches at Estadi Johan Cruyff and training sessions at Ciutat Esportiva de Sant Joan Despi, gaining firsthand knowledge of youth players.

Flick’s commitment to youth development at Barcelona signals a promising future, as he integrates the next generation of talent into the first team while honouring the club’s storied tradition of excellence in football training.