‘I did not feel confident’ — Barcelona defensive star admits he struggled earlier this season | OneFootball

FC Barcelona defensive ace Pau Cubarsi might continue to be the biggest anomaly in sport at the moment. There are very few central defenders in the history of the sport who have looked as complete as him at just 19.

However, despite all the accolades, the Spaniard has admitted that not everything felt natural for him earlier this season, a revealing confession from a player who now looks like one of the calmest and most reliable defenders in Barcelona’s squad.

As quoted by Mundo Deportivo, Cubarsi acknowledged that he was not at his best level earlier this season. He said:

That is a striking admission because Cubarsi rarely looks rattled. Even when Barcelona have had to defend in open spaces or cope with constant pressure, he has usually carried himself with the calm of a much older player.

From a Barca perspective, there is also something reassuring in the timing of his words. Cubarsi is not speaking like a player still trying to convince himself. He sounds like someone who has come through that difficult phase and now understands where his game is.

This has been there for everyone to see. Cubarsi has been in near flawless in recent weeks and question marks regarding his form have long dissipated. His performance against Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final was one of the best ever defensive displays the Camp Nou has ever seen.

Now on international duty with Spain, the 19-year-old could work his way into Luis de la Fuente’s plans and become a starter purely based on form. Let’s wait and see if he can keep this high level until the end of the season and take that confidence into the World Cup.