Ten academy and reserve players Barcelona could turn to after Pedri, De Jong injuries – report

It has been a season filled with injury problems for Barcelona and things only got worse for them this past weekend as key midfielders Pedri and Frenkie de Jong were sidelined through fresh injuries.

Both the superstars are expected to be out of action for at least a month, and with Gavi out of action for the rest of the season, the Blaugrana are now staring at a depleted midfield unit.

Indeed, Xavi has just Fermin Lopez, Sergi Roberto, Ilkay Gundogan, and Oriol Romeu to work with. Among those, Roberto is just returning from an injury while Romeu has been dealing with some discomfort, restricting his minutes.

Given the situation, Xavi could be forced to turn to La Masia for solutions and Mundo Deportivo has listed ten talented youngsters who could get a look-in into the senior setup thanks to the injuries.

Unai Hernandez

A regular in Xavi’s training sessions with the first team, Unai Hernandez has got a look-in in friendlies, although he has yet to make his official senior debut. An attacking midfielder, he can also play as a winger and has an eye for a goal.

Marc Casado

Casado is a curious case because he has not made his debut in La Liga despite being called up by Xavi on more than 30 occasions, with all his senior appearances coming in the Champions League. A pivot midfielder, capable of playing as an interior or at right-back, he provides a lot of options.

Moha Moukhliss

A 24-year-old pure midfielder, Moukhliss on loan at Barça Atletic from Andorra and has become a regular for Rafa Marquez’s side. He has only been taken into account by Xavi for a couple of training sessions, but could be an option now with injuries to key players.

Marc Bernal

A talent from the academy on whom many hopes are pinned as a first-team pivot midfielder in the not-too-distant future. Bernal can also play as an interior, as he has done in the reserve team alongside Casadó. At the age of 16, he is already an important player in Barça Atletic.

Noah Darvich

Noah Darvich is a special talent. (Photo by Neil Baynes/Getty Images for DFB)

A promising German player who arrived last summer, Darvich had problems adapting, but he is gradually demonstrating his quality with Barça Atletic. Having won the Under-17 World Cup with Germany, the 17-year-old is currently showcasing his best moment of the season.

Pau Prim

A defensive midfielder by training, Pau Prim can also play inside due to his knowledge of the game. Solid, tactical, and technical, the 18-year-old trained with the first team following injuries to Pedri and De Jong.

One of the youth midfielders who most appeals to Xavi because the 16-year-old masters the concepts that the current first-team coach believes have gradually been lost in the youth system: body positioning when receiving, contact foot, vision of the game. He is called up to train with the first team regularly by Xavi.

Xavi Espart

The 16-year-old talent can play in all three positions in midfield and at right-back. As with Quim Junyent, he is one of the talents that Xavi follows closely, to the extent that he has also taken part in training sessions.

Juan Hernandez

The 16-year-old is an attacking midfielder who can also play as a ‘false 9’. Last weekend he scored both goals for the Juvenil A team in the win against Platges de Calvià (0-2). He is a daring player and Xavi already knows him from different training sessions.

Guille Fernandez

One of the most special talents at La Masia currently, Guille Fernandez is making waves at just 15 years old. Under normal circumstances, it would be crazy for Xavi to count on him, but Lamine Yamal also made his debut at the age of 15. He has already been called up to the reserve team without making his debut and in several of Xavi’s training sessions.