La Masia loses presence within the FC Barcelona squad
Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, Leo Messi, Rafinha, Jordi Alba, Sergi Roberto, Aleix Vidal and Jordi Masip are, now that the Barça squad has been completed for season 2016/17, the nine youth team products that will form part of Luis Enrique's group.
It is an impressive number, especially when compared to the presence of players formed at home amongst the other big European clubs. But it is also a clear decrease with regards to the immediate past at the Camp Nou.
It is the first time that the amount has dropped to less than double-figures since the 2008/09 season, which coincided with Pep Guardiola's debut year as first team boss. Since his arrival, the La Masia offerings increased year-by-year, reaching 12 in the last campaign of the coach from Santpedor, in 2011/12.
The dozen were Victor Valdes, Pique, Cesc Fabregas, Carles Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Thiago Alcantara, Busquets, Pedro Rodriguez, Isaac Cuenca and Andreu Fontas.
During the two years after Guardiola's departure, the presence of youth team products in the senior squad continued to rise, reaching 17 out of the 25 first teamers of the 2013/14 season. Gerardo Martino was the man in charge in that campaign, with a squad that boasted 68% of footballers formed in Blaugrana youth football.
They were: Valdes, Martin Montoya, Pique, Cesc, Puyol, Xavi, Pedro, Iniesta, Messi, Jonathan dos Santos, Marc Bartra, Busquets, Alba, Cristian Tello, Cuenca, Sergi Roberto and Oier Olazabal.
Curiously, that year only saw the title of Spanish Super Cup, which indicates that the massive presence of youth team products is not always synonymous with success.
Since then, the figure has decreased. In Luis Enrique's first two seasons in charge, 12 homegrown players have had a first team squad place. Montoya, Xavi and Pedro were replaced by Munir El-Haddadi, Sandro Ramirez and Aleix Vidal. This season, there has been a drop to nine, following the exits of Munir, Sandro and Bartra.
Sergi Samper has not been able to win a place in the squad either, and both Tello and Montoya have left again having returned from respective loans elsewhere.
They are only numbers, and, given the titles obtained, it would be unfair and even false to link the best seasons of recent years with the majority presence of homegrown products. What is unquestionable is that their weight in the squad has progressively dropped.
On the other hand, in the expected starting eleven, La Masia continues to be well represented thanks to Sergi Roberto, Pique, Jordi Alba, Busquets, Iniesta and Leo Messi. Six footballers formed in Barça's youth football teams are a majority amongst the players that Luis Enrique most depends upon.
