This season, the first team will have eleven players that came up through the club’s youth system. Fifty per cent of the team is from la Masia.
The power of the Barça youth system is more evident than ever. Guardiola often fields around six or
seven local players in a game, whether at El Molinón or in the Champions League final. The doors to
the first team are wide open to players fostered at the club itself, as Thiago and Fontàs well
know, who have both just become fully fledged first team members.
This year there are an unprecedented 11 players from La Masia out of a total of 21. These
aren’t reserves used as a complement, these are first team players in every sense of the
word.
Starting eleven
It is years since the team has had so many of its own players to choose from, and
although some players would have to play in unfamiliar positions, Guardiola could theoretically
play them all at once: Valdés in goal; Puyol and Fontàs as full backs; Busquets and Piqué at centre
back; Xavi, Thiago and Cesc in midfield and Pedro, Messi and Iniesta up front. Cesc completes an
eleven that would fill any Barça fan with pride.
Nine under Rijkaard
Under the Dutchman in the 2003/04 season, there were eight local players in the
first team: Valdés, Puyol, Xavi, Gerard, Gabri, Luis García and Motta. But they weren’t all
regular starters. In 2008, there were nine: Valdés, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Giovanni, Messi, Oleguer,
Bojan and Jorquera. Under Guardiola, the number has done nothing but increase.
La Masia
products in recent years
Season 2010/11: Valdés, Piqué, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Bojan, Messi, Jeffren, Busquets and
Pedro.
Season 2009/10: Valdés, Piqué, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Bojan, Busquets and Pedro.
Season 2008/09: Valdés, Piqué, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Bojan, Busquets and Jorquera.
Season 2007/08: Valdés, Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Giovanni, Messi, Oleguer, Bojan and
Jorquera.
Season 2006/07: Valdés, Motta, Puyol, Xavi, Messi, Oleguer, Iniesta and Jorquera.
Season 2005/06: Valdés, Motta, Puyol, Xavi, Gabri, Oleguer, Iniesta and Jorquera.
Season 2004/05: Valdés, Motta, Puyol, Xavi, Gerard, Oleguer, Iniesta and Jorquera.
Season 2003/04: Valdés, Puyol, Xavi, Gerard, Gabri, Luis Garcia, Motta and Jorquera.