Barcelona’s youngsters will be tasked with leading the club into the post-Lionel Messi era according to the Spanish press.
Messi signed a two-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Barcelona this summer due to LaLiga’s financial fair play rules.
Now, Barcelona must look to fill the void left by the Argentine international who scored the most goals, made the most appearances and won the most titles in the club’s history.
Barcelona’s youngsters will be tasked with leading the club into the post-Lionel Messi
Barcelona have been forced to restructure their team following the departure of Messi this summer.
The Catalan giants shared a bombshell statement earlier this month saying the 34-year-old would not be staying at the club due to financial restrictions placed upon them by LaLiga.
The news came as a blow to not only the fans but the player himself as he believed a long-term deal, albeit on lower pay terms, had been agreed and that he would meet up with his teammates to resume training ahead of the 2021-2022 season.
The club have since been left with a hole in the squad that must be filled. However, Barcelona president Joan Laporta recently highlighted the club’s ‘worrying’ amount of debt and explained how they were unable to afford new players.
Messi signed a two-year contract with Paris St-Germain after leaving Barcelona this summer
Barcelona president Joan Laporta (above) recently highlighted the club’s ‘worrying’ amount of debt and explained how they were unable to afford to bring in new players
With £1.15bn worth of debt weighing the club down, the Catalan giants must turn to the young players in their squad to step up for the 2021-2022 season.
Mundo Deportivo says the onus falls on Ronald Koeman to guide the ‘exciting young group’ of Barcelona players to victory this season.
The Spanish outlet, who referred to Barcelona’s next generation as the ‘Baby Team’, believe the likes of Pedri, Ansu Fati and Alejandro Balde will be at the forefront of Barcelona’s starting XI.
Pedri has been identified as the best fit to lead the club into the post-Lionel Messi era. It is his wholesome love of the game and his memorising skill set that has made him the club’s new poster-boy.
The teenage midfielder who lit up the Euros for Spain and then went to Japan to represent his country at the Olympics played an astonishing 73 games last season – that’s more than Neymar has managed in his two last seasons at Paris Saint-Germain.
Therefore, the onus falls on manager Ronald Koeman (above) to guide the new ‘exciting young group’ of Barcelona players to victory this season
Pedri has been identified as the best fit to lead the club into the post-Lionel Messi era
He demonstrated the same impish spark that Messi had when he first played for Barcelona and has drawn similarities to that of Andres Iniesta.
The 18-year-old has the close control and balance to get him out of tight spots and into space. He plays a fast-paced brand of football that will ignite Barcelona’s attack during the 2021-22 season.
Fati has been named as another Barcelona player who has what it takes to fill the void left by Messi this summer.
Fati has broken countless records since coming on for Carles Perez in the 78th minute of a 5-2 win over Betis in August 2019.
Just six days after making his senior debut, Fati become Barca’s youngest LaLiga goalscorer against Osasuna at El Sadar. He found the back of the net by converting Perez’s cross at just 16 years and 304 days old.
Fati has been named as another Barca player who has what it takes to fill the void left by Messi
Pablo Paez (above), otherwise known as Gavi, has also been named as a potential replacement for Messi as he more than comfortable playing as a classic No 10
Since then he has become Barca’s youngest Champions League debutant, the youngest goalscorer in Champions League history and the youngest goalscorer at the Nou Camp.
As a result, Fati will be one of the first academy graduates to secure regular spot in the Barcelona first team since Sergi Roberto – who made his debut in November 2010 during Copa del Rey match against Ceuta.
Pablo Paez, otherwise known as Gavi, has also been named as a potential replacement for Messi as he more than comfortable playing as a classic No 10.
Having signed from Real Betis in 2015, Gavi can also operate as part of a three-man midfield to suit a 4-3-3 formation.
Balde has been labelled as a potential replacement for Barcelona defender Jordi Alba (above)
The youngster (right) possesses the power, pace and attacking mindset to initiate an attack
His style of play has also been likened to that of Iniesta, with many claiming the 17-year-old will hit the same level of stardom as the former Barcelona legend.
While left-back Balde has been labelled as a potential replacement for Barcelona defender Jordi Alba.
The 17-year-old started his career as a striker but has slowly moved his way further back. However, it is attacking instincts that make him such a formidable defender.
The youngster possesses the power, pace and attacking mindset to initiate Barcelona’s attack and link up with Fati down the left-hand side. The combination of such qualities make him the perfect modern defender and a real asset to Koeman’s team.
Ronald Araujo is another Barcelona youngster that will be handed the torch this season. The 22-year-old has been named as the long-term successor to Gerard Pique.
Ronald Araujo is another Barcelona youngster that will be handed the torch this season
Araujo has been named as the long-term successor to Gerard Pique (above) at Barcelona
Araujo has delivered a defensive masterclass for the Catalan giants following Pique’s ligament injury and will look to continue such form during the 2021-22 season.
The 22-year-old, who was part of the Uruguay squad that made it to the quarter-finals of Copa America before being knocked out on penalties by Colombia, made 24 LaLiga appearances last season.
Having stepped up from Barcelona B due to an injury crisis in the first-team, Araujo proved his worth by scoring and providing two assists.
Araujo defensive contribution could be huge for Koeman this season – having previously gone 13 successive games without being dribbled past.
Sergino Dest (right) made his debut for Barcelona during the 2020-2021 campaign
Sergino Dest is another player who has caught the attention of football fans around the world. His performances last year have also seen Europe’s elite try to prise him away from Barcelona.
The right-back – who suffered from a couple of injuries last season – made his debut for Barcelona in the 2020-2021 campaign and received offers from Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund this summer.
However, Dest is solely focused on succeeding at Barcelona and is eager to take every single opportunity he is granted at the club.
Dest’s ability to play in tight spaces and choose when to pass or dribble makes him a valuable asset at the back. He will, however, need time to develop into a world-class player.
Yusuf Demir (above) is another player who has been credited with ‘turning into’ Messi and carrying Barcelona during the club’s 3-0 win against Stuttgart
Yusuf Demir is another player who has been credited with ‘turning into’ Messi and carrying Barcelona during the club’s 3-0 win against Stuttgart.
The 18-year-old – who was signed on a season-long from Rapid Wien this summer – played the full 90 minutes in the Mercedes Benz Arena and scored his first goal for the club.
He found the net from close-range after impressive build-up play from Memphis Depay and Antoine Griezmann.
As a result, he caught the attention of the Barcelona boss and could feature regularly this season.
However, all of the youngsters mentioned in Mundo Deportivo will have to continue to work hard to replicate the form of Messi and create such a profound lasting legacy.
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