The paradigm change in Barcelona’s scouting objectives which prioritise European success | OneFootball

For years, Barcelona have remained conservative and loyal to their technical brand of football – the same style of play that made them a force to reckon with during the time of their golden generation.

After all, the ‘Cruyffian’ style of football has been synonymous with Barcelona over the years, and the club have always scouted smaller, more agile and technically gifted players over muscle and power.

The game, however, has evolved a lot compared to what it was two decades ago, and the same strict Cruyffian approach now repeatedly falls short.

Teams have now adapted to greater fitness standards, pressing intensity and physicality, something that has seen Barcelona fall short in Europe in recent times.

A change in approach

Ushering in a new approach. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

As reported by SPORT in a recent update, Barcelona are now looking to scout beyond the borders of Spain and Catalonia to identify new defensive talents.

They have historically mined only local institutions, but there is a sense of understanding that they need physically dominant defensive profiles to complement the technical midfield.

The scouting department under Joao Amaral, thus, are looking to improve the team’s scouting presence overseas and are on a mission to find young defensive talents who bring physique and power to the table – both for the first team and for La Masia.

The clear hope is that the incorporation of such players will help improve the team’s chances on the European stage where they continue to fall short on the said grounds.

The plan is already in action

In many ways, the rise of Gerard Martin to prominence is an example of Hansi Flick preferring physicality and fitness over technical ability, and his pairing with Pau Cubarsi saved Barcelona’s defence last season.

Marc Bernal is another player who represents a similar paradigm shift.

Barça signed Juwensley Onstein in the winter. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website)

On the transfer front as well, Barcelona have signed young talents like Juwensley Onstein with the same objective in mind in recent years, and there is great hope for him in the future.

Targets like Alessandro Bastoni, Micky van de Ven and Luka Vuskovic also represent the same shift in ideology.

In more recent news, Barcelona have also been linked as frontrunners to sign Australia’s young and physically dominant defender Lucas Herrington who has caught the eye of big clubs in recent years.

Born in 2007, he is seen as one for the future and the club will invest heavily in his development.