Hansi Flick crafts unique strategy to develop Barcelona homegrown talents | OneFootball

According to a fresh report from SPORT, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is doubling down on his commitment to the club’s famed youth academy, La Masia.

The German coach, well aware of the potential that lies within the club’s homegrown talent pool, is already laying the groundwork to integrate them meaningfully into his first-team plans.

Since the end of the 2024/25 season, Flick has personally met with several promising academy players who will join the senior squad when pre-season training kicks off.

Interestingly, among the names mentioned are Toni Fernandez, Jofre Torrents, Pedro Fernandez, and Juan Hernandez, youngsters who will be part of a significantly larger training group than in previous seasons.

The pre-season group is expected to include over 30 players, including more from La Masia, who will be called up to work alongside the main squad.

A structured integration

Interestingly, this is not going to be a casual trial for the youngsters, it will be an integration process.

Hansi Flick wants to have more control over youth team players. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Flick wants a strong squad from the outset of pre-season, and he is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the homegrown talents are physically and tactically ready to take the next step.

Crucially, Flick has requested to have more oversight over the physical preparation of Barça Atletic players. He has asked the club for tighter coordination between the reserve and first-team staff so that fitness programs can be aligned.

The aim is to ensure that when La Masia talents are called up, they are already conditioned to meet the physical demands of top-level football.

Coordination with Deco

This initiative is being jointly managed by Flick and sporting director Deco, who are working closely to streamline the plans for both the first team and Barça Atletic.

They are in constant dialogue with Jose Ramon Alexanko, the director of youth football, ensuring alignment between all levels of the club.

Instead of waiting for crises to promote youth, Flick is preparing the next generation to be ready when their moment arrives.