The Barça buys future

Statistics are not needed to warn, at first glance that Barça 2021-22 is a young team who, in addition, have weight in the team (Pedri, Gavi, Ferran, Ansu, Eric…). But it is interesting to put numbers on it to place it in the correct dimension in the European panorama. Barça is the second team in the five major leagues that uses the most U-21 players in its domestic competition. This season he has already made 11 play according to opt data. Only Saint Etienne, a club struggling to avoid relegation in France, has played more (12). Below Barça are Reims and Rennes and to find the next Spanish club, you have to go down to the seven used by Valencia and the six used by Espanyol

Barça’s U-21 players have participated in 15 goals, which places them fourth in the European ranking. In terms of production, Leverkusen (21), Reims (19) and Arsenal (17) are ahead. The figure of the very young Florian Wirtz stands out, one of the biggest young talents in Europe right now. Wirtz, already a full international for Germany, has participated in 17 goals (seven goals and ten assists) ahead of Hugo Ekitike (Reims) and Buyako Saka (Arsenal), who have participated in eleven. The next to appear on the list is Yeremi Pino, who after a few months lost something, broke into Espanyol last weekend with four goals from him. ‘Mbapino’, as he has been baptized in the locker room, has six goals and four assists.

The production of the Barça U-21s is more choral. Gavi, at 17 years old, has scored two goals and four assists; Ansu, three goals without assists the little he has played; Nico has scored two goals and provided an assist while Pedri has scored a goal (Cornellà) and provided an assist.

Although the ‘old’ captains, Piqué, Busquets and Alba, are still hanging on, Barça have put their future in the hands of youngsters like Pedri (19), Ansu (19), Gavi (17), Nico (20), Ferran (21). ), Dest (21), or Eric (21). There are other players with whom you have to wait. Balde (18), Abde (20), Álvaro Sanz (21), Ilias (17) or Estanis (18) have also made their debuts with the Barça team this season, but they are not established as those mentioned in first place. In LaLiga, Barça’s dominance of U-21 players is overwhelming. Its eleven U-21 players contrast with the five from Real Madrid, four from Sevilla and Villarreal, two from Atlético and only one from Betis. Barça buys a future because, in addition, two other mainstays, Frenkie de Jong and Araújo, are 25 and 23 years old respectively.