Barcelona teenager’s rapid rise continues as he impresses in pre-season under Flick | OneFootball

Just a few months ago, Alex Gonzalez was playing youth football for Damm. Now, the 18-year-old winger is spending pre-season training under Hansi Flick alongside Barcelona’s senior squad and making an impression, reports SPORT.

Gonzalez, 19, has completed his first five days of pre-season training with Barcelona’s first team after enjoying a rapid rise over the past few months.

Rapid rise for Gonzalez

As recently as February, he was playing for Damm in Spain’s Division de Honor Juvenil. After joining Barcelona, he made his debut for the club’s Under-19 side in early April and impressed enough to earn a surprise invitation to pre-season with the senior team.

The youngster now finds himself training alongside established first-team players such as Alejandro Balde, Marc Bernal and Wojciech Szczesny.

Gonzalez has signed a contract with the Blaugrana until 2028. Although he is expected to play an important role for the reserve team this season, the coaching staff decided to include him in first-team pre-season preparations from the outset.

Alex Gonzalez was at Damm until February. (Picture credit: Instagram/@alexxgonzalezz07)

Gonzalez is valued for his versatility across the frontline. Capable of operating on either wing, he combines pace, dribbling ability and an eye for goal, finishing among the leading scorers in his Division de Honor group last season.

His mature attitude has also impressed coaches as he adapts to the demands of first-team football.

Positive start under Flick

During the opening week of pre-season, Gonzalez completed both double training sessions designed by Barcelona’s new fitness coach, Benjamin Kugel.

He arrived in excellent physical condition after following an individual training programme throughout the summer.

Off the pitch, his transition has been equally smooth. The coaching staff and senior players have helped him settle into the first-team environment, while the presence of fellow academy graduates Hafiz Gariba and Ebrima Tunkara has made the adjustment even easier.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Álex González Yanes (@alexxgonzalezz07)

Friday’s afternoon session concluded with an 11-vs-11 practice match in which Gonzalez featured actively.

Although his side did not win, the game provided another valuable opportunity to experience the pace and intensity of senior football during pre-season.

Looking ahead

Gonzalez is expected to remain with Flick’s group at the start of next week. He could receive his first pre-season minutes in Barcelona’s friendly against Europa on July 24, before potentially linking up with Juliano Belletti’s Barça Atletic squad.

For the young winger, the past few months have marked an extraordinary leap forward, and pre-season now offers the chance to continue proving he belongs among Barcelona’s brightest emerging talents.