“He is more like Gerard Pique” – Barcelona icon talks up defensive sensation Pau Cubarsi | OneFootball

Lamine Yamal’s rise to stardom over the last 12-18 months has somewhat overshadowed the work that Pau Cubarsi has also done throughout 2024. At 17, he has proven himself to be one of the best young players in world football, and among defenders, he is certainly right at the top.

Cubarsi generates a lot of excitement at Barcelona, and rightly so. One person that has been especially pleased with the teenager is club icon Carles Puyol, who gave his thoughts in a recent interview with El Pais (via Sport).

“He is a very complete player, with a very good passing range from the ball. In this sense he is more like Gerard Pique than me. Recently, I had the opportunity to talk to him. I like that he has such a regular performance, often without mistakes. It’s impressive. He is very serious and professional.

“He is very smart defensively. He’s competitive and he’s always focused. It’s not easy to have that peace of mind at that age.”

In Cubarsi, Barcelona have a nailed-down centre-back for the next 15-20 years, and it once again shows just how good La Masia is.