The energy, the attitude and much of the talent of Barcelona comes from the boots of two youth players trained at La Masia. Pau Cubarsí (17) and Lamine Yamal (16) feel and suffer for the club like no one else. The first one showed it, that when he scored the first and only goal of the night, the Blaugrana's victory, he jumped over the fence ecstatically raising his fist in the air. He drew his smile with braces, that dental appliance typical of adolescents that he remembers that despite playing with the first team, wasting talent, he is still 16 years old. And, of course, he drew with his fingers the figure 304, the last three digits of the postal code of the humble Rocafonda neighborhood of Mataró. “I am happy for the victory. I armed my leg and, as they left me space, I shot,” he explained after the game. “Anything that helps the team... They know that I am with and for them. Now to think about the Champions League. Scoring with our fans at home and being able to celebrate is always a gift,” he added.
He was not alone in that celebration. He was accompanied by Pau Cubarsí, the center back who, at 17 years old, has kicked down the door with the number 33. Showing his speed when cutting, his criteria for recovering balls and transmitting a football maturity that surprises and impacts. It was a nightmare for Muriqi and Larin. It is difficult at this point to imagine an eleven without him. “I try to give my best in every action. I look for intensity, but I try to play fair. We are Barça and we will fight until the end for everything,” said the youth player upon leaving the locker room, applauded by the public. “I have heard them. I hope to be able to experience it at the Camp Nou,” he added into the TV3 microphones.
Fermín joined the party. He is already of age. At 20 years old he has left La Masia to live in an apartment in Sant Joan Despí, very close to the sports city. Fermín was not a starter. But Raphinha's injury, stepped on in the penalty that Gündogan later missed, took him off the field. If only for desire and attitude, it was worth seeing him. By the way, there is no concern about Raphinha's hit. He was changed as a precaution and he may be available to play against Naples.
Minutes before Lamine Yamal's goal, Marc Guiu was also on the green. Another youth player who came of age in January and who completed the first 60 minutes. He was closely watched by the center backs and had a hard time receiving balls. He fought and touched the ball as much as he could. He even gave Gündogan a good ball. He was surprised that the Sant Celoni forward was chosen ahead of Vitor Roque to replace Lewandowski in the starting eleven. “It's a matter of feelings,” discovered Óscar Hernández, Barça's assistant coach who, with Xavi suspended, acted as leader of the bench.
Lewandowski, who in September already agreed with Xavi Hernández on his rotation in Mallorca, repeated yesterday in Montjuïc. At that time, Vitor Roque, an 18-year-old international for Brazil and a player for Athletico Paranaense, was already a Barça player. But the skyrocketing salary bill prevented him from being able to register until January, and the football management delayed his arrival. Yesterday, although the club always pointed out that the signing of the Brazilian fit as a replacement for Lewandowski in the future, the Brazilian started from the bench and came out in the second half alongside the Pole. He showed a good attitude, but it is still not as decisive as his price was: 30 million fixed and another 31 in variables he paid Barça to Athletico Paranaense.
