Exclusive: 19-year-old La Masia defensive gem not part of Flick’s plan despite depth concerns | OneFootball

Barça Universal can exclusively report, based on information provided by Adrian Sanchez, that youth team star Hafiz Gariba is not currently viewed as a realistic first-team option by Hansi Flick.

That decision comes despite Barcelona having limited depth in central defence and facing a demanding 2026/27 campaign. 

Gariba has emerged as one of the more intriguing defensive prospects at the club since his arrival, but Flick does not yet consider the teenager ready to make the jump.

The defender signed a three-year contract with Barça in February 2025, tying him to the club until 2028. His development since then has generated plenty of encouragement internally.

Gariba has made rapid progress at Barça

Gariba first attracted attention during his time at Escuela Marcet, where his performances brought him onto the radar of several leading Spanish clubs.

Barcelona eventually won the race for his signature, bringing in the defender on a long-term deal. His physical strength and defensive anticipation have been among the qualities that have stood out most.

His imposing frame allows him to recover ground effectively when tracking attackers, while his reading of the game helps him anticipate passes and make interceptions.

Since moving to Catalonia, Gariba has become a regular for the Juvenil A side and has continued to impress coaches with his combination of physical and defensive attributes.

Pre-season opportunity never materialised

There was optimism that Gariba could receive an opportunity with the senior squad during preparations for the 2026/27 season.

The youngster was in the conversation for first-team pre-season training, but a fever ruled him out and meant he missed the match against CE Europa.

With Barcelona needing options at centre-back, his name naturally resurfaced as a potential solution. That possibility, though, has not translated into a genuine first-team pathway under Flick for the time being.

Flick’s centre-back hierarchy remains clear

Barcelona currently have Pau Cubarsi, Andreas Christensen and Gerard Martin available as central defenders. Jules Kounde can also play centrally, but the Frenchman is being used primarily at full-back.

Given the number of matches ahead, the lack of depth makes Gariba’s situation noteworthy. 

His development has been impressive enough to attract attention, yet, from our information, Flick is not prepared to rely on him at senior level just yet.