FC Barcelona has had to rely a lot on their youngsters to deliver for the team this season. In fact, over the last few seasons, the club has been overly dependent in this regard. However, this dependence on youngsters has also given Barcelona some memorable moments.
Most of those moments have arrived higher up on the field, with players like Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez continuing to light up the field whenever they are in action. However, they are not the only ones who deserve praise for the great work that they have done.
In fact, it is perhaps true that Hansi Flick’s Barcelona would not be enjoying the flawless season that they are currently going through had it not been for the heroics of a certain youngster who allowed the team to win a crucial opening match and build their momentum from that game.
As highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi is the name to point out for his heroics against Valencia at the Mestalla in the opening game for Barcelona in La Liga. A game that ended 2-1 in Barça’s favor, Cubarsi’s intervention was ultimately a big difference-maker.
Despite his age, the player showcased maturity and awareness well beyond his years in that game. Near the halftime mark, Cubarsi was calm and composed as Valencia player Hugo Duro basically had an open net in front of him. However, when everyone else got beat and all hope seemed lost for Barcelona, the young defender stepped in and made a crucial goal-line clearance.
That stop allowed Barcelona to keep the score at 1-0 in Valencia’s favor and stopped their opponents from doubling their lead. Fortunately, just a few minutes later, La Blaugrana ended up equalizing through a great play between Alejandro Balde, Lamine Yamal, and Robert Lewandowski, with the Polish ace finishing off the chance.
Since that 2-1 victory, Barcelona have looked unstoppable so far. They have already repeated the same scoreline against both Athletic Club and Rayo Vallecano, and most recently thrashed Real Valladolid with a 7-0 scoreline at the Montjuic Stadium. Four wins out of four games belong to Barça, and perhaps Pau Cubarsi deserves a lot of recognition for this streak.
