Hansi Flick keeping a close eye on teenage Barcelona academy prospect | OneFootball

Since taking over the reins at FC Barcelona, Hansi Flick has done a brilliant job of integrating talents from the youth and reserve team setups into the first team.

Last season saw the likes of Gerard Martin, Marc Bernal, and Marc Casado break through, while opportunities have been given to Jofre Torrents and Pedro ‘Dro’ Fernandez this term, although the latter ended up leaving.

Another young talent who has been constantly on the radar of the German tactician is Toni Fernandez.

Flick still keeping an eye on Toni

Indeed, according to Mundo Deportivo, Hansi Flick continues to closely monitor the progress of Toni Fernadez, after handing him his first-team debut as a starter in La Liga against Girona.

It was on 12 October 2025, with Ferran Torres, Gavi, Robert Lewandowski, Dani Olmo and Raphinha all injured, that Flick gave him his La Liga debut.

Toni, the ninth-youngest player in the club’s history, remained in the squad for the league Clasico against Real Madrid before returning to action with Barça Atletic.

Flick rates Toni highly. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Flick believed the forward needed regular minutes and match rhythm, which would be difficult to obtain with the first team.

Even so, at the slightest opportunity, such as recently against Real Oviedo, the German coach has continued to include him in the squad. He has not lost sight of the teenage gem’s development.

The La Masia player had been training with the first team since the 2024-25 season, when he had just turned 16. The left-footed forward was the youngest player in Flick’s pre-season squad and impressed during the US pre-season tour.

After that promising summer, he skipped the youth team and, despite injury setbacks, stood out for Barça Atletic with eight goals and three assists last season.

Barcelona received numerous offers for him during the summer, but decided to keep him. Currently a part of the reserve team setup, Toni is a player Flick continues to follow closely with an eye on the future.