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On the Barcelona side, when it comes to choosing the coaches, we like to bet on people from home. Whether among A and the various Masia youth teams, positions of responsibility are very often entrusted to former players. In recent times, Rafa Marquez, Oscar Garcia, Victor Valdés, Xavi or Ronald Koeman have been the head of a bench in the Catalan club, where this famous DNA Masia and this Cruyffist play philosophy are so predominant. Former players who are supported by the trainer and veterans of the Barcelona academy, with a little fantasy behind it all the same: find the next Pep Guardiola.
Hansi Flick, a “foreigner” in Blaugranas lands, conquered everyone and even postponed the dream of certain fans who wanted a return from the current Manchester City coach in the near future. It must be said that the German tactician has attracted the Barcelonismo With a game resolutely turned towards attack, logically much appreciated in Catalonia, and its use and management of young players clearly play in its favor. But behind the scenes, another coach begins to make noise and point the nose, so much so that some see him in him a potential coach of the first team for when Flick will no longer be there. This man is Juliano Belletti, former right side of the club and author of the Victory goal during this 2006 Champions League final against Arsenal for the second coronation in Barça history in competition. Selected with Brazil 23 times during his career, he notably worn the colors of Barça, Chelsea and Villarreal in Europe, being one of the references to this position in the 2000s worldwide.
A big club name
Already last summer, despite a very slight experience as a coach (he had been assistant to Cruzeiro then in several lower teams from Barça, and coach of the U20 of Sao Paulo), the management of Barça just wanted to entrust him with the keys to Barça Atlètic, team B of the club, in Spanish D3. But Burocratic problems – he lacked the UEFA PRO diploma necessary to lead to this division – “relegated” it to the first U19 team of FC Barcelona, which notably competes for UEFA Youth League, the big goal of the club. In parallel with his training to obtain all the required diplomas, the Brazilian already does very beautiful things. After 14 years of scarcity, her team has won the Copa del Rey in its category, and she points to her U19 championship. In UEFA Youth League, the young Catalan shoots signed an almost perfect course, with 5 victory in 6 days on the group stage, and a place in quarters assured after eliminating Aston Villa in eighths. Winners of the first edition in 2014, then in 2018, the Barcelonais then chained the fairly disappointing routes and therefore wanted to go after 2025.
Even more impressive results when you know that in Barcelona, the best U19 of the team do not play with the U19s but with Barça B, like the cousins Guille and Toni Fernandez, even with the first team as is the case of Lamine Yamal or Pau Cubarsi. But Belletti's strength is precisely to express the potential of each of its players as much as possible. Jofre Torrents18 -year -old side, Andrés Cuenca17 -year -old central defender, Quim Junyent17 -year -old midfielder, Juan Hernandez17 -year -old attacking midfielder, Jan Virgili18 year old left winger, Arnau Pradas18 -year -old right winger or Hugo Alba18 -year -old attacker are some of the players who have fun under the orders of the old side and who can aim for a future among the A.
A trainer above all
Even if the goal of a football match is obviously to win and that a coronation in Youth League would be more than welcome, Belletti is aware that he is above all a trainer. His primary role is to support his players in their end of training and to help them take the elevator to team B or have them for the best of them. “My work is to prepare these players for what awaits them in the reserve team and in the first team”simply summed up the coach after the cup victory in mid-March. All, by practicing football turned towards the offensive and in line with these famous Barcelona principles. And that's all that we ask for a priority for a coach of Barça youth teams. On a daily basis, Belletti is also a coach rather close to his players, but demanding. Rather quiet and calm, he speaks a lot to his troops, distilling precious advice and clear instructions to his players to allow them to progress. In this sense, we are on a profile quite similar to Flick: an impulsive and rather peaceful coach, close to his troops, but who waits in return for the latter to give the best of each training and each match.
He has also changed the position of several team players this season, Brian Fariñas (18), usually a player from the side now used in the axis by the Brazilian. Belletti offers a lot of freedoms to her offensive players, a bit like Flick too, and lets them take initiatives on the field. He is also very followed by permutations during the match to destabilize the opponent. He is also someone who insists enormously on the mental side of sport, and for him, knowing how to manage situations where the team lost or crosses a weak time on the field is just as important in learning a player as knowing how to position himself on the field or succeeding in controls. He also insists on the concept of collective, on the field but also outside, since for him, the development of a player goes above all by his integration into the collective. It is important that the agreement is good on the green rectangle, but also outside, and that real links are created by the players. Methods that appeal to Barcelona and therefore make him a serious candidate for a first team position in the years to come. But as we know, the job of young people and a first team is very different …
