Barcelona have produced some of the top youngsters in world football. Their academy has been the home to amazing talents who have taken the big stage. Xavi, who is their current manager, has given a chance to these academy graduates and they are carrying the team during their financial struggles.
Xavi has been forced to give a chance to new players following injury issues. The likes of Pedri & Gavi have established their place in the starting 11, while few others are finding their way into the team. One player who has made an entry to the first team is Pau Cubarsi.
The 17-year-old defender came into Barclona’s set-up after the club was short on defensive options. He is playing some regular football in 2024 and recent heroics against Napoli in the UEFA Champions League earned him the Man of the Match award. A few days after this, Cubarsi was called for the Spanish national team for the first time. His performances have caught the eye of many. Let’s take a look at what this youngster has added to Barcelona’s set-up and how he is securing the future of his country.
Martialling the defence
In the current season, the youngster has played in 10 games. Of his 10, nine came in the LaLiga. Pau Cubarsi is playing a regular role in the team. One of the reasons why he is getting a lot of appreciation is due to his defensive performances.
Pau Cubarsi has contested 6.5 defensive duels, 3.9 aerial duels and 2.5 loose ball duels per 90 minutes. He has won 77% of his defensive duels, 48.7% of his aerial duels and 52% of his loose ball duels. The youngster has shown a lot of discipline and not given away any silly fouls in the defensive zones. Other than this, the youngster averages 4.2 interceptions per 90 minutes.
The 17-year-old defender is not afraid to put his body on the line. He has made quite a few remarkable blocks to stop the opposition from scoring a goal. Three goals came inside the penalty box, with one coming right in front of the goal.
Heroics against Napoli
Pau Cubarsi made his UEFA Champions League debut against Napoli. It was a night to remember for this Spanish youngster against a top-quality opponent. He even won the Player of the Match award for his performance.
In the match against Napoli, Cubars contested nine duels and won each of them. These included two loose ball duels, three aerial duels and three loose ball duels. The first visual shows the loose ball duels and the second one shows the aerial duels. He even made five interceptions and 11 recoveries in this match.
Calmness on the ball
Pau Cubarsi is a modern-day defender who knows how to rotate the ball. He knows how to pass the ball and plays like most of the defenders do these days. The defender averages 73.4 passes per 90 minutes and completed 92.8% of his passes. Cubarsi likes to move the ball down the flanks and can also deliver some long diagonals.
The 17-year-old will look to make his Spanish debut and even try to confirm his place for Euro 2024. Barcelona have a big talent in their hand. They will look to unleash his full potential.
Visuals via Wyscout and the TFA data viz engine