Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy has produced several gems over the years, but one might have to put on a thinking cap if asked who was the last central defender, barring the most obvious Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique, who made a name for himself.
As it turns out, the team is hopeful that a certain Pau Cubarsi can shoulder this responsibility. The 16-year-old centre-back, who currently plays for Barcelona U18, has a contract until 2023 and despite having plenty of offers on the table, his preference is to continue at Barça, reports journalist Albert Roge.
The journalist writes that the 16-year-old already participated in the final stretch of the first team’s training session yesterday and negotiations regarding an extension are already in progress.
By giving him the opportunity of training with the first team, the management wants to show him that he is a club bet and they keep him in their future plans.
We have already analyzed Cubrasi’s profile earlier this year. The 16-year-old is someone who has a mature head on his shoulder. He is physically strong, something a central defender should be, and does not dive into nasty challenges.
Instead, he likes to stay on his feet and look for the right time to get the ball. In all fairness, if he continues to put on similar performances across all age groups, there is a good chance that he might feature with the senior team in near future.
If not for the important games, Xavi can always use him in low-intensity games and by this, the young defender can have some important minutes in his tank. For now, all he needs to do is to put his head on the ground and continue training with the senior team at every chance he gets.
