Three youngsters who could be Barcelona’s breakout stars in 2024/25

Barcelona’s financial situation in recent years has taken the club substantially away from its former money-splashing ways towards a very conservative approach.

The focus, in recent years, has been on developing homegrown talents and the strategy has paid good dividends to this point.

After Pedri won the Golden Boy in 2021, Gavi took home the accolade in 2022. This year, Lamine Yamal is well-placed to win the award while others including Pau Cubarsi and Fermin Lopez are still in the hunt.

Bubbling with young stars already, Hansi Flick’s arrival will only pave the way for more such talents to come out given the new manager’s fond interest in the academy.

Barça Universal brings you three youngsters who can become the club’s breakthrough stars for the 2024-25 season.

Marc Bernal

Barcelona have long looked for an heir to the throne Sergio Busquets once occupied at the club. Stranded without a natural defensive midfielder, the Catalans attempted to phase in Oriol Romeu but the attempt was soon deemed a failure.

It was eventually Andreas Christensen who filled the void for the Blaugrana, but the team still needs a natural pivot who understands the ins and the outs of the Barcelona way to step in for the long term.

Enter, Marc Bernal. At just 17 years of age, the youngster is seen as one of La Masia’s brightest prospects in the defensive midfield role.

Defensively solid, smooth with his distribution and with an adept sense of vertical passes between the lines, the youngster has stood out in training sessions under Hansi Flick and makes a strong case to see minutes under the new manager.

Given close to 200 minutes in the team’s recent USA pre-season tour, Bernal clearly has Flick’s trust. His maturity beyond his years, coupled with the new formation’s requirement of a double pivot, provides an optimal opportunity for him to shine.

Marc Casado, at 20 years of age, is indeed a direct competitor from the academy and will also enjoy a breakout season in the pivot position. Amidst Barcelona’s era of teenage gems, however, it is only fair to be more excited about the breakthrough of Bernal.

Alex Valle

Perhaps the most left-field pick of the three names on the list, Alex Valle’s growth and potential breakthrough at Barcelona will depend on a number of factors. However, it is not unlikely by any measure.

The 20-year-old academy star was one of the players who impressed the most in the Catalans’s recent pre-season campaign in the United States. What made his performances on tour even more special was the fact that they all came with him playing out of his niche.

A left-back by trade, Valle will start the new season as a backup option to Alejandro Balde on the left side of defence. His recent performances as a right-back, however, will give the manager faith in utilising his services on the right flank as well.

The potential arrival of Joao Cancelo, by far, will be the single greatest factor deciding Valle’s involvement this season. Should he receive the minutes he deserves, however, the sky is the limit for Valle.

Having recorded an assist in El Clasico and remained defensively solid playing out of position in pre-season, the young phenom’s confidence will be sky-high. Could this be Valle’s season to shine?

Pau Victor

Barcelona’s primary efforts in the ongoing summer transfer window were directed towards signing a new left-winger. Nico Williams was the team’s primary objective, and his decision to stay at Athletic Club is a big denial to the Catalans’ transfer plans.

With no natural left-winger in the team, Flick is likely to count on Raphinha to play in the position once more this season. The void that will continue to exist, however, could well open the door for Dani Rodriguez.

The 18-year-old is seen as one of La Masia’s most skilled left-wingers and can provide a refreshing presence on the field even operating as a substitute. In course of time, his ability to dominate the position could well open the doors for his breakthrough to the starting lineup.

Rodriguez played no part in the club’s pre-season tour as he was on duty with the Spanish team for the U-19 European Championships. Now back in Catalonia, one can expect to see the youngster increasingly involved in Flick’s dynamics.

The 18-year-old was supposed to start the new season with Barça Atletic but has suffered an injury setback ruling him out for a couple of months.

His biggest challenge, thus, will be to come back strongly and make an impact that will force Flick to give him a chance in the latter stages of the campaign.