Valverde: Academy Players Must Earn First Team Places

By Harry Morgan

Barcelona Manager, Ernesto Valverde, is tasking the club's academy players to fight for places in the first team and not expect easy progression because they are in the La Masia.

Valverde, speaking to Barcelona TV, acknowledged the potential at the La Masia but said promotion into the first team depends on player performance and not the association with the academy. 

The Catalan club has a rich history with its La Masia as it groomed many of the much-talked-about players today.

But, the club has been accused of neglecting the project, and now spending huge money to import established players from abroad.

"There are good players in Barça B, with a lot of ambition, and I'm very excited about what I see. Barça always has to look to its academy. A lot of people say we should simply take youth players, put them in the first team and everything will work out."

"But it's not always that simple. Because there are implicit demands and a lot of competition for places in the first team. However, it's something that should be encouraged because players from the academy have things that outsiders don't have."

"It all depends on them more than anyone else, although it might also depend on whether or not the coach gives them another chance."

He was hopeful that the players can go through from the youth system and ‘go out and steal the show, score loads of goals and stop our opponents scoring because that's what guarantees that the club and the team have an identity.'