‘I act like a father to him’… Alex Valle opens up on his relationship with 22-year-old Barcelona youngster | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have remained active off the pitch as the season winds down, finalising both contract renewals and exits. While Hansi Flick and Raphinha have committed their futures to the club, others are preparing for new chapters. Alex Valle’s permanent move to Como was officially confirmed this week, and Ansu Fati looks set for a stint in Ligue 1 with AS Monaco.

Valle came through the La Masia academy and had the chance to impress Hansi Flick in pre-season. However, the German coach decided to trust Gerard Martin at left-back and expected the 21-year-old to fight for a spot on the right.

Valle’s journey

Soon enough, after pre-season, Valle left on loan to Celtic in Scotland where he spent the first half of the campaign and then moved to Como in Italy to continue his career under Cesc Fabregas. The Spaniard has established himself as a starter in Serie A.

Alex Valle is now a Como player. (Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images)

We covered a story last night revealing that Como had reached an agreement with Barcelona to sign Valle permanently for around €6m. After the transfer, the 21-year-old gave an interview as quoted by SPORT, where he spoke about a variety of topics.

Valle was asked about his relationship with fellow La Masia starlets who have come through the ranks, and he went on to add some insight into his relationship with Fermin Lopez, who is thriving at Barcelona currently. He said:

“With the distance, it’s harder, but with Fermín I have a very special relationship. He’s like a brother to me, although sometimes I act like a father to him (laughs). He’ll understand (laughs). Also Ander Astralaga, Aleix Garrido… we spent four or five years together, they’re people I get along with really well. Ander is a great goalkeeper, I get along very well with him and I wish him all the best.”

The funny thing with Valle’s admission of being a father figure to Fermin is that he is one year younger than the Barcelona midfielder. Thus, it must an inside joke that makes the Como defender come up with such an admission.

Valle was then asked about how he felt about Fermin Lopez thriving in the first team as the duo had similar career paths where they had to go out on loan to hone their skills before returning to the Catalan club. He said:

“It was funny because when we were both out on loan, each at a different club, we used to message each other saying: ‘Come on, next year we’ll be together in the first team.’ Then preseason came around, and I remember watching Fermín’s goal against Real Madrid, I jumped off the bench in disbelief and said: ‘What a star.’ I was overjoyed.”

The 21-year-old then went on to mention how that goal against Real Madrid went a long way in getting him first-team prominence. He said:

“I know everything he’s been through, and look at him now. Football and careers sometimes come down to little details, and that goal helped him establish himself in the first team. This year, I’ve had plenty of reasons to congratulate him. We talk quite a lot.”

What a player Fermin Lopez is turning out to be. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Different routes to success

Of all the players to have come through La Masia in recent years, it’s Fermin Lopez’s story that feels very warm and close to the heart. It serves as a constant reminder that not everyone needs to be a child prodigy like Gavi, Lamine Yamal or Pau Cubarsi to get a chance in the first-team.

His rise, marked by grit, a loan spell, and a stunning goal in preseason against Real Madrid, proves that patience and perseverance can carve out a place in a world-class team. Though he isn’t always a guaranteed starter, his contributions have not gone unnoticed, and his trajectory continues to inspire.

As for Alex Valle, his decision to leave Barcelona in search of consistent game time reflects courage and ambition, qualities that could serve him well under Cesc Fabregas at Como. With his close-knit La Masia friendships and a fresh challenge in Serie A, Valle has a new platform to grow. Time will tell where his career leads, but his connection to Barcelona remains deeply rooted.