17-year-old defender proud of his achievements with Barcelona | OneFootball

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Pau Cubarsi was one of the revelations at FC Barcelona last season as he made his way from the B team to become a regular starter for Xavi Hernandez at only 16 years of age. Despite his youth, he showed his ability to come toe to toe with some of the best forwards in Europe multiple times during the last season.

He also made his debut with the senior Spain side but missed out on the UEFA EURO 2024 squad. However, he was called up for the Paris Olympic Games, where he won the gold medal with his Spanish football team.

Last night, he returned to the pitch in Barcelona colors, as Flick picked him ahead of other more experienced options like Eric Garcia and Andreas Christensen. He played the opening 64 minutes of the match and was substituted as Flick did not want to risk a second yellow for him.

Cubarsi also talked to the press after that game. As Mundo Deportivo has reported, the youngster complimented the team’s work and maturity in this match: “The team’s work has been very good. The first matches are always very challenging, and we have shown a lot of maturity.”

The young defender went on to show pride in what he was achieving at such a young age: “We are very young, but we are making the most of our opportunities. It’s a source of pride; I work hard to try to play, and I’m very proud of what I’m achieving.”

He also opened up on the demands that Barcelona put on their players irrespective of their age: “Here at Barça, they always ask the same of you. Being a Barça player demands that you perform at the highest level.”

Lastly, the 17-year-old Spanish defender also provided a glimpse into the solidarity present in the team: “I try to give the few pieces of advice I gained last season, and they also help me. We are a great group.”