Barca 2025 pre-season

jamrock

Senior Member
It's smart casting.

It's a shame for Virghili, but I always held doubts that his game could go through the levels and it probably showed in first team dynamics.

Still, would probably be best for him to find a Segunda loan. Guys of yesteryear like David Silva were on loan at Eibar in the Second at his age.

True, I think most of us held that worry about him, but he surprised with his projection with Barca B.

But I am surprised, I guess Roony has proven to be better and with the signing of rashford it makes sense.

But boy Landry lost the fight with fort for RB.

Will be interesting to see if fort stays or goes on a loan.

I'm surprised both the cousins made it, some politics maybe be involved in that one, they want to keep them at the club, this in a good incentive.
 

Porque

Senior Member
I don't think there's much of a correlation between developing (young) talents and League division. At least that's my feeling.

Well, for me, there's two factors.

1) obviously the training environment.

2) the opposition.

Better opposition builds better decision making, and decisions under pressure.

The main difference is the speed between the football levels.
 

Porque

Senior Member
True, I think most of us held that worry about him, but he surprised with his projection with Barca B.

But I am surprised, I guess Roony has proven to be better and with the signing of rashford it makes sense.

But boy Landry lost the fight with fort for RB.

Will be interesting to see if fort stays or goes on a loan.

I'm surprised both the cousins made it, some politics maybe be involved in that one, they want to keep them at the club, this in a good incentive.

Agreed.

Wouldn't be surprised if Toni gets the nod and Guille doesn't though.

Guille will pretty much be the very last or even unused sub in any case.
 

TheStig

Member
True, I think most of us held that worry about him, but he surprised with his projection with Barca B.

But I am surprised, I guess Roony has proven to be better and with the signing of rashford it makes sense.

But boy Landry lost the fight with fort for RB.

Will be interesting to see if fort stays or goes on a loan.

I'm surprised both the cousins made it, some politics maybe be involved in that one, they want to keep them at the club, this in a good incentive.

I read other tweets that it's not sure the cousins will go. Looks like the hype died compared to last preseason. It's gonna be hard for everybody to get minutes even if Flick fields 2 different teams in each half time. I don't remember we ever had all the players avaliable for preseason.
 

jamrock

Senior Member
The cousins case is soo interesting, the club clears sees something in them and flick something in Toni.

But they aren't ready yet, too good for Barca B, but not good enough yet for the first team

The club ultimately wants to keep them under the control of the club, because they could develop into top players.

How they manage the situation is interesting to watch, politics definitely involved in Guille, too many at the the club saw him at the next big thing, they want absolutely sure he's not.
 

mc_lovin

Senior Member
Well, for me, there's two factors.

1) obviously the training environment.

2) the opposition.

Better opposition builds better decision making, and decisions under pressure.

The main difference is the speed between the football levels.
Our La Masia output was pretty shit when we were in the 2nd division. Could be a coincidence as the sample size is just too small though.

Generally I have the feeling the level doesn't matter when developing players until age 18-20 or so. After that they are either already good enough to make the jump to our first team or not and playing a higher division hardly matters then.
 

Porque

Senior Member
Our La Masia output was pretty shit when we were in the 2nd division. Could be a coincidence as the sample size is just too small though.

Generally I have the feeling the level doesn't matter when developing players until age 18-20 or so. After that they are either already good enough to make the jump to our first team or not and playing a higher division hardly matters then.

I think it is a good idea to plant a few of the better peripheral talents in second division environments. For example talents like Dani Rodriguez and Garrido last season are just wasted being in the 3rd or 4th division. At worst we should be able to build some sales value through this way.

But even this should be maintainable. Barca B in the early 2010s maintained the Second division top half finishes for 4 seasons in a row. With solid scouting we should have been able to maintain a midtable position at cost, when you factor in the tv rights for that league.

The issue the B always had in the Second Division was the balance between talent, team maturity and staying in the division. The 3rd division allows for a more balanced development environment but lacks the pressure and opposition.
 

khaled_a_d

Senior Member
I don't think there's much of a correlation between developing (young) talents and League division. At least that's my feeling.

It is true, and something I've argued about for years. Second division is the absolute worst place to develop talents, unless it is a very specific situation where the player is granted starter there on loan. As a reserve team, almost every club does worse in developing talents when they are there.

A club like Celta didn't have problem developing talents in 5th division, Barca B developed plenty of talent when they were in 4th division which is now equivalent to 5th and 6th division in the new system.

Reserve team is about learning to play against grown men in less pressure environment, the difference in some divisions is minimal in that regard, except for the hype and players feeling they are "above" that.
 
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Barcaman

Administrator
Staff member
Jofre wouldn't be there either if we had a normal lb backup. Or budget to sign one.

Barca promotes more out of necessity than some elaborate long term plan.

Not complaining as we're more or less full but let's not pretend Laporta and co. do stuff diligently or studiously or care a lot about long term planning.
 

Porque

Senior Member
Jofre wouldn't be there either if we had a normal lb backup. Or budget to sign one.

Barca promotes more out of necessity than some elaborate long term plan.

Not complaining as we're more or less full but let's not pretend Laporta and co. do stuff diligently or studiously or care a lot about long term planning.

But the club more than likely keeps in mind those talents it highly rates when assessing signings.

Same way last season we spent 50m and assessed that a defensive midfielder wasn't needed before Flick earmarked Casado and Bernal. Xavi on the otherhand would have demanded that 50m be Zubimendi, or Ederson of Atalanta who was Deco's option.
 

jamrock

Senior Member
To suggest the club doesn't factor in masia when making signings and thinking about the medium to long term goes flies against decades of facts.

Unless we are talking about the Barto period.

You think no one at the club knew about torrents or bernal, kept an eye on there development and possibly impact on the first team.

And that's not even something unique to Barca, that's just how clubs are ran generally, some put more emphasis on it than the other.
 

khaled_a_d

Senior Member
Bartou has appreciated La Masia, he simply didn't know how to run it. It is why I laugh when someone call a certain strategy a Bartou one. The guy tried everything but was just clueless.

Regarding La Masia and Laporta, things don't "just" happen, we are clearly improved in that area under him and knows how to utilize it.
And sure, we aren't doing as much as "Football manager players and armchair scouts" would hope, but we are a big club that is aiming for winning, it is normal that players will get promoted either when they are special talents or due to need and lack of alternatives. It is actually the right thing to do.
 

Andresito

Senior Member
Staff member
This year's pre-season opponents are unusually weak. Maybe it's a request from Flick to have easier games while focusing on tougher training sessions. No lack of European opponents as Arsenal, Milan, Newcastle, Liverpool etc are in Asia as well.

Vissel Kobe, Seoul, Degu and Como for Gamper

Compared to recent years:
City, RM, Milan, Monaco
Arsenal, RM, Milan, Spurs
Olot, Miami, RM, Juve, Unam
 

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