Andrés Cuenca confirms Barcelona farewell as defender begins new chapter in Italy | OneFootball

The 2007 generation has been one of the most special in the recent history of La Masia. Two players from this generation, Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, have not only made their way to the FC Barcelona first team, but have also established themselves as key parts of Hansi Flick’s team in the last two years.

Apart from Cubarsi, another defender from this generation who caught the eye of the club and also the fans was Andres Cuenca. He made his debut for the Blaugrana first team back in October 2024, in a UEFA Champions League game against BSC Young Boys. He also made 24 appearances with Barca Atletic.

However, unlike Cubarsi, he was unable to keep a regular place in the Barcelona first team, and joined Sporting Gijon on a half-season loan last February, after having renewed his contract with the Catalan side until 2027.

Now, this loan has ended, but as Mundo Deportivo has reported, he will not be returning to Barcelona, as he has joined the Italian side Como, and would now be training and playing under the former Blaugrana midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

Although this move is yet to be officially announced by the concerned clubs, the player took to social media to say his farewell to the Catalan club, where he spent seven years training at La Masia. In this message, the center-back ensured Barcelona would remain a part of his life even as he leaves for a new project:

“It’s never easy to say goodbye to the place where you grew up. I arrived as a child, and today I leave with a backpack full of memories, lessons learned, and people who have marked my life forever.”

“I leave proud of everything we have experienced together and excited to take on a new challenge, but knowing that a part of me will always remain here.”

His experience of training at La Masia helped him develop good ball control and distribution, and these remain his most prominent attributes as he looks set to start a new chapter in his career.

Andres Cuenca suffered a muscle injury shortly after joining Gijon on loan in February, but was still able to establish himself as an important player. Como will provide him with a very good opportunity to continue growing and developing as a player, and hopefully, he will take full advantage of this move to grow into a world class defender.