Hansi Flick, the new coach of FC Barcelona, is determined to fully integrate into the club’s structure, including its renowned youth academy, La Masia. Despite having limited ties with Barça prior to his arrival, Flick and his coaching staff are gathering extensive information about the club’s young talents, according to the local press. This approach aligns with his philosophy of giving opportunities to academy players and addresses the club’s economic situation, which increasingly relies on homegrown talent instead of expensive external transfers.
Reports from Catalonia have given Flick high marks so far, saying that last month, besides thoroughly studying his new team, Flick and his staff have started compiling reports on players from the reserve team and other youth teams at Barça. Aware of the club’s financial constraints, Flick understands the importance of developing local talent to maintain competitive levels without resorting to costly transfers. In his first days in Barcelona, Flick has demonstrated his commitment by attending Barça Atlètic’s training sessions and promoting close cooperation between all areas of the club, from the academy to the first team.
Looking ahead to the upcoming preseason, a strong presence of La Masia players in the first team is expected. Players like Marc Bernal have already been mentioned, and it is anticipated that Flick will call up more youngsters for the United States tour. While this strategy of including academy players is not new, Flick is determined to maintain and strengthen it. Continuous collaboration with the heads of youth football, José Ramon Alexanco and Toni Hernández, will be crucial to maximizing Barça’s internal talent and competing with other major European teams that have greater financial resources.
Barcelona made good use of its youth academy last season under Xavi, although there were some who were concerned with the workloads given to young stars such as Lamine Yamal. Flick will have to find the right balance in terms of playing youth players and making sure they are not overused.
