Page 54 - Soccer360 Issue 104

BARCEL ONA BREAKTHROUGHS BARCELONA MAY BE HAVING TO MANAGE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS, BUT THAT HAS JUST ALLOWED EVEN MORE OF THEIR AMAZING ACADEMY GRADUATES TO STEAL THE HEADLINES. IAN WATERHOUSE LOOKS AT SOME OF THE LATEST NAMES TO EMERGE.
DID YOU KNOW?
LA LIGA HAS A NEW LOGO!
Gavi has quickly become an indispensable part of Xavi’s Barcelona side
arcelona’s La Masia Academy has become legendary. Housing more than 300 players who all harbour dreams of putting on B
the iconic Barca shirt and walking out
to the roar of almost 100,000 spectators at the atmospheric Camp Nou. Of course, not everyone
can make it, but we have selected five who have come through the ranks recently with distinction and who we are sure we will be talking about for years to come.
GAVI
At just 11 years old, Pablo Martín Páez Gavira signed for Barcelona after catching the eye of
the Blaugrana hierarchy while in the Real Betis youth academy. Now, having barely completed
19 rotations around the sun, the teenager born in Sevilla has played over 100 competitive games for Barcelona in all competitions.
At a young age, Gavi had the pressure of being likened to current coach Xavi, and Andres Iniesta due to his intelligence, first touch, and vision as a midfielder so it was no surprise that he was fast tracked into the Barcelona first team squad after making just three appearances for Barcelona B. His debut for the senior side came quickly too with Ronald Koeman thrusting him into action on August 29, 2021 as a 73rd minute substitute for Sergi Roberto against Getafe.
A total of 34 La Liga appearances and two goals followed in his debut campaign for Barca which earned him the Golden Boy award at the 2022 Ballon d’Or ceremony. Playing alongside Pedri, another former La Masia starlet, his progress has been phenomenal and he has so quickly become indispensable in midfield.
The accolades kept coming too and his debut
for Spain in October 2021 meant he became the youngest ever player to make a senior appearance for the national team. He then went on to outshine
“GAVI HAS ALREADY PLAYED OVER 100 COMPETITIVE GAMES FOR BARCELONA IN ALL COMPETITIONS.”
Betis striker Willian Jose (front) in action against RCD Mallorca defender Antonio Raillo
Dani Carvajal of Real Madrid
DID YOU KNOW ?
EIGHT IN FIVE
As of match week 14, Willian José has scored eight goals in his last five games for Real Betis in all competitions, one more than in his previous 47 appearances for the club.
33 AFTER 14
Granada have conceded 33 goals after 14 games played in La Liga 23/24, their third worst ever record at this stage of the competition in a single season after 1942/43 (39) and 1944/45 (35).
FROM OUTSIDE THE BOX
Excluding free kicks, goal by
Dani Carvajal against Valencia is the first scored by a Real Madrid defender in La Liga from outside box at Santiago Bernabéu since another scored by Marcelo against Valladolid in October 2009.
SEVEN GOALS IN 13 GAMES
Osasuna forward Ante Budimir has scored seven goals in 13 games played in LaLiga 2023/24, only one less than in the whole last season in the competition (eight goals in 31 appearances).
52 SOCCER360
LA LIGA SPOTLIGHT