Former La Masia director talks Lamine, Messi, Bernal, Ansu – ‘Brought joy back to us in a difficult moment’ | OneFootball

Hansi Flick’s Barcelona have been flying across all competitions this season, and it is almost shocking how young the core of the team is.

La Masia, after all, has been at the root of the team’s resurgence and has provided talents across the field who are now bonafide regulars.

The current crop of La Masia stars is broadly seen as the academy’s next biggest boom after the generation of Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi.

Scouting the right players young and bringing them in, needless to say, is vital for the same and Albert Puig, the former director of the academy, was one key pillar ensuring the same.

Former La Masia official speaks

Speaking to the media in a recent interview, Puig commented on his work at Barcelona over the years and how several of the investments he made back then were now paying off.

He began by outlining the players he signed for Barcelona when responsible for youth scouting.

“The last two we signed were Marc Bernal, who arrived from Gimnastic Manresa in the 2014-15 season, and Lamine Yamal, who was signed in February 2014 when Isidre Gil and Oscar Hernandez saw him in January in La Torreta,” he added on the two latest players he signed, notably both of whom have bloomed.

Elaborating on Yamal and how the youngster was during his early days at Barcelona after arriving at the academy.

“Espanyol already had him in tests, but we brought him in February and incorporated him into training. Although he was a freshman, he trained with the youngest and he did great.”

The crown jewel of La Masia. (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)

“He talked to La Torreta, his mother came and in September 2014 he officially joined Barça,” he added.

Puig also spoke on all the other current successes he was responsible for signing, all of whom are now prominent in the first team.

“Before, we signed Hector Fort, Alejandro Balde, Inaki Pena (whom I took directly), and Dani Olmo, who I signed as a coach at the time of Alexanko and Benaiges.”

“Then there are Cucurella (Chelsea), Nico Gonzalez, Abel Ruiz, Ilaix, Carles Pérez… There are many. There are also Kubo and Brahim, which was a special case,” he elaborated.

The former director of La Masia was then asked if there were any players he signed who he felt would surely succeed but did not.

“If we talk about a player who had impressive conditions and did not arrive, Seung-woo Lee would say. When we signed players like Inaki Pena, Dani Olmo or even Lamine, we could not foresee if they would reach the highest level.”

“No one can assure at the age of 13 that a child will be a world top. Messi, for example, improved every year. Some players stagnate in training and others in professionalism,” he added.

Barcelona have turned heavily towards La Masia in recent years, but that has not been the case throughout the past decade. Speaking on the fluctuating importance of the academy, he said,

“Many times you have had very little patience or you have wanted to have quick money. We all know that in a Barcelona with good economic health, neither Lamine, Cubarsí nor all these players would be playing in the current Barça.”

“They would be in their natural process, playing with people one or two years older,” he added.

Puig was then asked about Ansu Fati and the youngster’s struggles with the first team which have pushed him out of the manager’s plans.

“It’s probably a mental issue. If he has recovered physically, now it depends on his confidence. We all have an obligation to be patient. He brought joy back to us in a difficult moment, as Ronaldinho did in his day,” he said.

Puig calls for patience with Ansu Fati. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

“Players must be judged at 24-25 years old because first, they must overcome many tests: fame, injuries, pressure… Lamine, for example, will have to overcome many things, as Messi did when he had injuries at the beginning of his career,” he added.

Surprisingly, he even added that Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz was very close to signing for Barcelona twice in his career.

“Yes, twice. The first time we had signed a civil contract with normal amounts. We brought him to La Masia and Xavi and Iniesta took him inside the locker room and started playing with him for half an hour.”

“He signed with us, but at the end of the season, his family received an offer from the sheikh of Malaga. They were offered a large house, a private school for their sisters and an impossible improvement in life,” he added.

“A year later, Pere Guardiola became his representative, and he refused to play in Malaga because he wanted to come to Barça, but we were slow.”

Finally, the former director spoke on what the key was to keep the academy successful, and he stressed that the presence of local players drove the project.

“The academy is 80-90% of players in the area. Then, with that solid foundation, the club can go to the rest of Spain to look for the best talents of each generation.”

“Without that local base, signing the best outsiders would not have the same effect. In addition, these players raise the level of the locals and feedback on competitiveness,” he added.

Source: Mundo Deportivo