Cubarsi talks Flick, Mbappe, El Clasico, Spain, Barcelona captaincy – ‘I’ll wear the armband with pride’ | OneFootball

Pau Cubarsi has become a permanent fixture in the Barcelona lineup over the past year and a half, despite being only 18 years old.

The teenage La Masia prodigy was crucial in last season’s domestic treble triumph and has continued to feature prominently this term, although his and the team’s form has suffered somewhat in recent games.

Currently on national team duty with Spain, Cubarsi sat down for a detailed interview with AS, during which he discussed various matters, including Hansi Flick, Barcelona’s recent poor results and the upcoming El Clasico.

Barcelona’s recent losses

Barcelona went into the international break on the back of two consecutive losses against PSG and Sevilla, even conceding four goals in the La Liga game at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

The last time that Barça had conceded four goals in a league match was back in 2015, against Celta Vigo, when Cubarsi was only seven years old.

“I was very young, but I remember that defeat at Balaidos. Losing always hurts, but when it’s by such a large margin, it hurts even more,” lamented the youngster.

“But we have to focus on the mistakes we make in these types of matches to learn from them, not repeat them, and thus prevent them from happening again.”

The chat then moved to manager Hansi Flick, with Cubarsi being asked if the manager was more demanding than understanding, to which he replied:

“Both. He’s a friendly coach who tries to help the player. But when he has to give it his all, he really pushes us. He knows how to push the player.”

After the match against Sevilla, Cubarsi publicly commented that the Barcelona forwards needed to press from the front in order to stop opponents from creating chances.

Cubarsi is a permanent fixture in the team. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

On being asked if the situation was similar to the one Xabi Alonso faced after taking over at Real Madrid, Cubarsi acknowledged:

“Let’s say yes, but if it’s a great team, the first line of defence should be the forwards. Because a great team is about being united and pulling together, because that’s what wins titles.

“In a team, we all have to push hard: those up front, those in the middle, and those down low. At Barça, we did it that way last season, and it worked very well for us, so we have to keep doing it.”

El Clasico

In a couple of weeks, Barcelona play one of the biggest games of the season as they take on Real Madrid in the first El Clasico of the season on 26 October. And Cubarsi believes that it will be a decisive game in terms of the title race, as he said:

“Well, it will surely be so again, because El Clasico is the greatest rivalry in football. We all dream of playing this match, which is always decisive and unpredictable, regardless of whether one team is better than the other or vice versa.

“The next one, on the 26th, will be a complicated and tough clash, and although La Liga is long, the truth is that the Clasicos almost always decide championships. Madrid are on a good run of form, but I think this break will be good for Barça.”

On whether he is excited for the upcoming Clasico, the teenage defender replied in the affirmative, saying:

“Yes, we all want to play in the Clasicos. From the first one I played, I understood that it’s a different kind of match.

“And the next one will be at the Bernabeu, which always has a special atmosphere and is a stadium where it’s great to play… and if you win, even more so.”

Barcelona beat Real Madrid four times across all competitions last season, including the Copa del Rey final, which many regard as Cubarsi’s finest performance for the team. On whether he thinks the same as well, the youngster said:

“It’s possibly one of my best matches so far, not just me, the whole team too. It was a great final, because Madrid also played well. It was decided in the final moments and went our way. But it was a very beautiful final to watch.”

Cubarsi admits defending against Mbappe is a challenge. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Cubarsi was then asked about what was a bigger challenge – marking someone like Kylian Mbappe or keeping an eye on a player like Jude Bellingham making late darting runs into goalscoring positions.

“Both are difficult, because Mbappe is very mobile, attacks spaces well, and is very fast. You don’t expect Bellingham because he comes from deep, from the second line. But I think Mbappe, because he’s fast, finishes with his first touch and can score,” he said.

On Spain and the World Cup

Currently with the Spanish national team, Cubarsi is very much expected to be in the La Roja squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

Expressing his excitement ahead of what would be his first World Cup, the Barcelona prodigy noted:

“I’m really excited, and I’m also really excited to win it. A World Cup is spectacular, and representing Spain, playing with the national team, would be magnificent. And with the good momentum we have, competing in it would be something spectacular.”

On whether he could form a strong partnership with Real Madrid’s Dean Huijsen, similar to the one Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos had for the Spanish national team, Cubarsi remarked:

“Huijsen is magnificent, like the other centre-backs in Spain. The Ramos-Piqué partnership is a big deal, but both Huijsen and I have the ambition to grow and improve, and we both want to go far.”

On being asked if he sought any advice from Pique, the youngster replied: “We’ve exchanged a few greetings, but I haven’t spoken much with him. The truth is, Pique has a lot of experience.”

Concluding, Cubarsi was asked if he was looking forward to becoming the Barcelona captain in the future, with the interviewer remarking that club president Joan Laporta has his eye on the 18-year-old as a candidate for captaincy.

“Well, there are more veterans now who aren’t Catalan. But as captains, they’re doing very well,” he said, on the matter of the current five captains, none of whom are Catalan.

“I’m not thinking about that now; I’m thinking about playing and winning titles for the team. I haven’t spoken to Laporta about this, but if one day they make me captain, I’ll wear the armband with pride,” he concluded.