The solution to Barça's ills is in a stone house, a symbol of its uniqueness and identity. Every time he walks away from her, a punishment of biblical proportions falls on his destiny. Deserved. La Masia is the spiritual and material nucleus around which the great teams in the contemporary history of this club have sprung up, synthesized by two memorable transformers that emerged from its rooms: Messi as a player and Guardiola as a coach.
Barcelona's problem in recent years has been buying mediocre and very expensive footballers who didn't need to go anywhere because they already had them. We are not talking about the stars, the differential footballers, for whom Barça has always fought in the market, but rather about a bunch of mediocre players who, due to mismanagement by successive directors and misguided executives (or thinking about it badly, not so much) have ruined Barça, that now he cannot sign those stars who were previously fighting to come.
Barcelona still flirts today with that stupid habit of turning the squad into a bazaar, as if it had no lesson, but in the end Xavi, as if the threat of his position led him to fail or win with his principles, has relied on meritocracy and La Masia has emerged with a moving naturalness.
Barça fell last night in San Mamés, but left a trace of pride that takes the form of a path to follow. Losing is not good, we will not soften the defeats here, but losing having been able to win seeing three minors stand out, and in what way, leaves another aftertaste. That of nostalgia and hope mixed.
Lamine Yamal (16), Héctor Fort (17) and Pau Cubarsí (17) captivated us like Iniesta, Puyol and Xavi did before when they made their debut, adapting to the first team like Gilda to her black gloves. What a game the kids had. Will this finally be the click that will change everything? The one that will make the construction discourse, although late, take shape? When Xavi sent out Marc Guiu (18) in extra time instead of Vitor Roque (and gave him the trips to Brazil) he gave that sensation. The obedient club man letting himself be carried away by the one who grew up in La Masia.
Valverde, rare bird
Ernesto Valverde is an atypical coach. More than anything because he doesn't seem to want to be. He likes football but without going overboard, he also publishes books and organizes photography exhibitions and he is the guy with the least importance to himself, a position in life that seduces little and takes away from his charisma, although he should be applauded because with More guys like him, this sport wouldn't upset people so much. In contrast to his serene character, his athleticism transmits a nerve that provokes dread. Simeone's Atlético passed through San Mamés a month ago, Valverde's antagonistic coach who seems to risk his life in every game, and was devoured, so the performance of Xavi's Barça, added to Villamarín's victory, allows us to cushion the criticism that deserves all elimination.
Now we have to hope that the signs that Barça left in Bilbao are not defeated by the first blow of air causing another of the usual collapses. More than anything so as not to take more emotional tumbles and have fun for longer. If possible, winning (losing is annoying) without stopping to look at the Masia.
