Exclusive: The 11 La Masia talents that Barcelona will call up for first-team pre-season | OneFootball

FC Barcelona are set to hand several La Masia talents a chance to work with the first team during pre-season.

With the 2026 World Cup underway and many Barcelona first-team players expected to be involved until the latter stages, Flick will have a depleted team to depend on at the start of pre-season.

Now, according to exclusive information obtained by Barça Universal from journalist Miquel Blazquez, 11 academy players are expected to be called up to train with the first team.

The list includes Baba Kourouma, Ebrima Tunkara, Orian Goren, Alex Gonzalez, Hamza Abdelkarim, Shane Kluivert, Xavi Espart, Tommy Marques, Landry Farre, Alvaro Cortes and Oscar Gistau.

For Hansi Flick, this is more than just filling numbers, as it gives him an opportunity to identify the next Bernal, the next Casado or the next Dro who can make it to his first team.

Pre-season is often where young players can change perceptions, and there are players like Gavi and Fermin Lopez in the first-team squad who have already proved that.

A big chance for Espart and Gistau

Xavi Espart is one of the most interesting names on the list. He has already been described as a versatile profile, capable of playing at right-back while interpreting the game like a midfielder.

That kind of intelligence can appeal to Flick, who values players who understand space, transitions and structure. Espart’s ability to operate in different zones could give him a real chance to stand out.

It is worth noting that he has already been in the first-team scheme of things for some time now, and he has a head start compared to others.

Oscar Gistau is another name Barça fans will watch closely. Young forwards always attract attention in pre-season because goals and sharp movements can quickly make an impression.

Shane Kluivert’s inclusion also carries obvious emotional weight because of the family name, but the important thing will be how he handles the level on the pitch.

Pre-season can open doors

The list also includes Baba Kourouma, Ebrima Tunkara, Orian Goren, Alex Gonzalez, Hamza Abdelkarim, who was signed permanently from Al Ahly, Tommy Marques, Landry Farre and Alvaro Cortes, who made his first-team debut last term.

Hamza Abdelkarim will join Barcelona first-team for pre-season. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

Hamza Abdelkarim is on World Cup duty with Egypt and is likely to get a fair chance during pre-season, which could decide his future in the first team.

Ebrima Tunkara is widely being labelled as the biggest talent coming through La Masia, and fans will be excited to see what he has in store.

Not every player called up will stay with the first team, and that is normal. The real objective is exposure: learning the rhythm, understanding Flick’s demands and showing personality around senior players.

Barcelona have already seen how quickly La Masia can change the first-team picture. Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Fermin Lopez, Marc Bernal and others have reminded the club that talent must be trusted when it is ready.

This pre-season will not guarantee anything, but it can start conversations. It remains to be seen how many of these 11 starlets make an impression.