Neither with a roof nor without a cover. Neither with the metallic skin nor with the famous corners. Neither with the retractable grass nor without it. They didn't know it before and they will taste it for the first time tomorrow. They will debut in hostile territory. It will be a key classic for the future of the League and with baptism. Three youth players like Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí and Fermín will feel what it is like to play with the Barça shirt at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The latest exponents of La Masia are called to extend this great rivalry for many years. Despite being of youth age, Lamine Yamal and Cubarsí are already full internationals and in the last national team break they did play in Spain's friendly against Brazil in Chamartín. This time it will be very different. The reception and the atmosphere will have nothing to do with them.
Although they imagined that this moment could come, it will surely be sooner than expected. The Rocafonda winger will do so when he is 16 years old, the Estanyol center back is 17 while the midfielder from Huelva turns 21 in May. In fact, none of the three belonged to the first team when the preseason began.
Cubarsí will enter the Bernabéu pitch for the first time with the number 33 and Lamine Yamal still wears the number 27 on his back. In his day, Leo Messi also appeared at the Castellana stadium with the number 30. However, it is better not to ask the two kids about Ronaldinho's double and the applause from El Guindi and part of the white fans for the Brazilian star if not. he wants to pass himself off as a boomer. On November 19, 2005, they weren't even born!
With that 0-3, Messi achieved something very difficult: winning his first classic at the White House. It's not common at all. His coach, Xavi Hernández, can explain it to him first-hand. The current coach made his debut in February 2000, with a 3-0 defeat, and did not win Chamartín until his sixth visit, with his goal (1-2)... next week it will be 20 years.
But the one who turned things around was Piqué. He not only scored in his first away classic but also celebrated the historic 2-6 win over Casillas. “The Bernabéu whistles are a symphony to my ears,” the center-back confessed. That day Busquets, who has the record with 13 wins at the Bernabéu, also made his debut but only played 5 minutes. From the current squad, Ter Stegen (2-3 in 2017) and Sergi Roberto (0-2 in 2011) inaugurated their history with victory, although the man from Reus had a testimonial participation since he entered with time served.
Unlike Lamine Yamal and Fermín, Cubarsí has never faced Madrid yet. He has only been in the first team for 16 games. In January he was playing in the Cup at the Unionistas field and tomorrow he will make his debut in a classic. “As a child he always dreamed of playing these games. The classics are special and even more so in the club of my life,” he declared to Barça One. The defender is clear about the mentality with which Barça must play. “We have to approach it as the most important game of the season since (if we win) we would go straight into the League. If we put ourselves at five we will create insecurity for the rival,” he highlighted.
Lamine Yamal can be a starter for the first time in a classic since he came on as a shock in Montjuïc (14 minutes) and in Riyadh in the Super Cup (29). So Fermín is the only one who knows what it's like to be in the eleven. It happened in the first round (he shot the post) but also, on the tour, in Dallas, he scored a great goal with a long shot.
It will also be the debut for Vitor Roque, who recently played in Brazil. In his country there are also mythical stadiums. During his time at Athletico Paranaense he played several times at Maracaná, where he did not do too well. There he lost twice against Flamengo and once against Fluminense. It is not clear that the Brazilian will end up participating. Of the 20 games in which he has been available, in seven he was left without entering the field. He did not make his debut in the Champions League against Naples and PSG and did not take off his tracksuit in the Super Cup final in Arabia, with some discomfort. The first Bernabéu is not forgotten. For the good and the bad.
