Barcelona may have missed out on all the major titles this season, but they still have important goals to achieve in their remaining La Liga matches.
Despite a tough loss to Girona that dropped them to third place in the standings, they need to maintain focus and minimize errors. They also need Girona to falter at some point in order to secure second place in the league.
Finishing second is crucial as it grants Barcelona automatic entry into the Spanish Super Cup, which would provide much-needed revenue for the club.
Therefore, these final matches demand serious concentration from the team. At the same time, Xavi could use these games as a chance to test some of the younger players, an approach he has consistently favoured this season.
On that note, let’s look at five young talents whom Xavi might want to give opportunities to in Barcelona’s upcoming La Liga matches.
Marc Casado
Casado, the captain of Barça Atletic, is having an outstanding season. Despite being only 20 years old, he has been called up by head coach Xavi over 30 times, although he has yet to get substantial minutes.
Barça’s management may soon find themselves reconsidering this situation as Xavi looks ahead to the next season, aiming to build a strong squad.
Since securing a defensive midfielder is already a top priority, Casado has the opportunity to prove himself in the remaining league games this season.
Noah Darvich
Noah Darvich has been making a name for himself with Germany’s youth teams and Barcelona’s reserve team, Barça Atletic.
His playing style has been compared to that of Xavi Simons, and even though he can not play in every match, getting some time with the first team would be invaluable for his development.
Given Barcelona’s current midfield struggles, trying out Darvich could be a great move. He is both motivated and mature, and he might just be the solution the team needs.
Guille Fernandez
Despite being just 15 years of age, the name Guille Fernandez is making waves within the Barcelona youth teams.
According to sources within La Masia, they are optimistic that he will make his senior debut sooner rather than later and if Xavi wants to try the midfielder, there is no better time than this.
While his participation during the pre-season friendlies is expected, a competitive debut would be a better way to evaluate his talent.
Unai Hernandez
19-year-old Unai Hernandez came through the ranks of Girona and in 31 matches for the Rafa Marquez’s team this season, he has scored six goals while assisting as many.
While a senior team debut eludes his career projection, this could change towards the end of the season as his ability to play across several positions could come in handy for Xavi.
Marc Bernal
Another defensive midfielder within Barcelona’s youth system, Marc Bernal has high hopes pinned on him.
A typical number six who plays a similar role to Sergio Busquets filled at Barcelona, the current plan for Bernal is to complete this season under Marquez and then join the first team for pre-season training.
The goal is for him to stay with the senior squad for the 2024-25 season. However, it would not harm anyone to try his talent during the remaining games of the season.
