Hansi Flick calls up highly-rated 17-year-old La Masia left-back for Barcelona training | OneFootball

Hansi Flick continues to use pre-season as a platform for La Masia, and the latest youngster to receive an opportunity with FC Barcelona’s first team is Jordi Pesquer.

The 17-year-old left-back trained with the senior squad for the first time on Tuesday, becoming another academy player to enter Flick’s plans during the opening weeks of preparation.

According to SPORT, Pesquer is highly rated within Barcelona and has already built a strong reputation through his performances at youth level.

The Spain Under-17 international featured regularly for Juvenil A last season despite being younger than many of his teammates, and he was also involved in the Copa de Campeones run that ended with a final against Real Madrid.

Pesquer only underwent medical tests with Barca Atletic on Monday, but one day later he was already working under Flick.

That step says a lot about how closely Barcelona monitor their academy prospects. The club clearly see enough potential in Pesquer to expose him early to the standards and demands of the first-team environment.

Physically, he already has an interesting profile. Standing at 1.83 metres, he combines good size with the ability to push forward, link up with teammates and use the ball cleanly.

For a modern Barcelona full-back, those qualities matter.

Another La Masia pathway opens

Pesquer is expected to be a second-year Juvenil player this season, although he could also earn minutes with Barca Atletic under Juliano Belletti.

That flexibility should help his development. There is no need to rush him into senior football, but regular exposure to stronger competition could accelerate his progress.

From Barcelona’s perspective, his emergence is particularly interesting because the club continue to look for long-term depth on the left side of defence.

Alejandro Balde remains the established first-team option, but developing an internal alternative would always be preferable to spending heavily in the market.

Pesquer still has a long way to go, and one training session should not create unrealistic expectations.

However, Flick has shown repeatedly that age alone will not stop a player from getting an opportunity. For Pesquer, this first session is only a small step, but it is a meaningful one.