Barcelona academy prodigy admits he looks up to €180m-rated first-team sensation | OneFootball

Arnau Pradas is enjoying a standout season with Barcelona’s Juvenil A team. The 19-year-old winger from Manresa has scored 19 goals across all competitions and provided five assists in the UEFA Youth League.

As one of the most experienced players in Juliano Belletti’s U-19 squad, the La Masia winger is aiming to cap his time in the academy by winning the Youth League.

Pradas hoping to follow in Lamine Yamal’s footsteps

It must be noted that Pradas was teammates with Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal for just one season, 2021-22, under coach Ivan Carrasco.

The 17-year-old is now a bonafide first-team star for the Blaugrana and is a leading figure in the Spanish national team as well, winning the UEFA Euro 2024 last summer.

And, Pradas admitted in a chat with SPORT that Lamine is a player he looks up to, along with other first-team wingers like Raphinha and Ferran Torres.

An example for fellow La Masia talents. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images)

“Of course, I look up to Lamine even though he was my teammate, I look up to all the forwards in the first team, him as well as Raphinha or Ferran Torres who also play as wingers” stated the 19-year-old academy ace.

This season, Pradas, who has attracted from the Middle East, has been used on the right wing by Belletti, a role similar to Lamine’s in the senior squad.

The academy talent has already made his debut with Barça Atletic and aims to make the full leap to the reserve team next season.

As Pradas aims for UEFA Youth League success, Lamine is chasing the Champions League. Both are aiming high in their respective competitions, and Pradas dreams of crossing paths with the Golden Boy winner again.

“‘I look at Lamine even though we have been teammates because he is a reference like all the players in the first team,” he concluded.

*Player valuation in title obtained from transfermarkt.com on date of publication.