FC Barcelona B (Barça Atlètic)

[Slevinn]

As things stand right now, all of the finalists will come from Segunda B, Group 3. Barcelona B's regional league.

Here are the game results from the past season.

Sabadell
1:0 Home win

Cornella
3:3 Home draw

Castellon
2:1 Home win

Maybe Castellon would be a good draw since they seem to strugle against 9 men.

 

[Porque]

In an ideal world the board would surround our biggest talents with some older players that are very good Segunda players. Maybe Puig and Araujo would be better players by now if they were developed like that.

Yeah. The ideal model is to have a coach like Pimienta and bolster the squad with a few Akieme's in key positions along with a few high quality prospects at the cusp of Barcelona A level.

Barcelona B has a transfer budget bigger than 20 of the Segunda teams put together- more or less.

Last time we relegated signing too many experiments and trying to solve the poor signings midseason with signings no wear near Segunda quality.

In an ideal world the board would surround our biggest talents with some older players that are very good Segunda players. Maybe Puig and Araujo would be better players by now if they were developed like that.

Yeah. They are building a good project being owned by a consortium of ex players, but in general they are a club who when on the verge of promotion, have a notorious urge for self combustion.

 

[Slevinn]

Yeah. The ideal model is to have a coach like Pimienta and bolster the squad with a few Akieme's in key positions along with a few high quality prospects at the cusp of Barcelona A level.

Barcelona B has a transfer budget bigger than 20 of the Segunda teams put together- more or less.

Last time we relegated signing too many experiments and trying to solve the poor signings midseason with signings no wear near Segunda quality.

I would even sign 2 players around the age of 30. Or is their an age cap for B teams?

 

[khaled_a_d]

In an ideal world the board would surround our biggest talents with some older players that are very good Segunda players. Maybe Puig and Araujo would be better players by now if they were developed like that.

1-There is no ideal world, there is only the one we are living in. We can always say if we have done this and that results would be better
2-We have tried that for 5 years under Eusebio coaching, what did it net us? providing Liga mid table clubs with player and getting only Roberto for 1st team.

 

[Messi983]

IIRC and if the rules haven't changed the only limitations for reserve teams in Segunda is they can have 3 players older than 23 years. Back in the days we've had the likes of Nolito and Jonathan Soriano. We could clearly do with players of similar quality/experience if we're promoted. Or at least someone like Jose Arnaiz who was pretty good as long as he stayed fit.

If we do promote to Segunda I hope we get some bonafide prospects at CB, CF and AMR that are close to first division level. Similar quality to those that Red Bull Salzburg go for at their B team/feeder club.

Of course we aren't owned by a drinks manufacturer who can offer their parents jobs at the local factory.

Yeah, those are the positions I'd also look to improve. Followed by RB where we only have Morer and possibly LB if Akieme leaves. We should be good in midfield with Monchu, Jandro, Ilaix, Reis and possibly Pedri though we should maybe still consider adding a more experienced midfielder.

It will never happen with clubs like Napoli and Roma interested and willing to give him immediate first team minutes but I wouldn't mind getting Darwin Nunez from Almeria. Start him at Barca B to adapt to the club and then give him a chance in the first team when he's ready. He's also Uruguayan so maybe Suarez wouldn't be so upset if he'd be eventually benched for him.

Another interesting striker we were linked to in the past is Marcos Paulo. His contract with Fluminense expires next year and he's apparently available for around 15m. He also plays for Portugal's youth NT so he wouldn't take a non-EU spot.

 

[Slevinn]

1-There is no ideal world, there is only the one we are living in. We can always say if we have done this and that results would be better
2-We have tried that for 5 years under Eusebio coaching, what did it net us? providing Liga mid table clubs with player and getting only Roberto for 1st team.

Yeah because it would be sooooo hard to do that.
Do you think we would?ve had more players than only Roberto if they played on a lower level?

 

[khaled_a_d]

Yeah because it would be sooooo hard to do that.
Do you think we would?ve had more players than only Roberto if they played on a lower level?

Yes, I think we would have better chance of having more players with 1st team.

 

[Messi983]

We'll play against Sabadell on Sunday.

The other final is Castellon-Cornella. So in the end really all four teams from our regional group are amongst the finalists.

 

[soul24rage]

We'll play against Sabadell on Sunday.

The other final is Castellon-Cornella. So in the end really all four teams from our regional group are amongst the finalists.

Do you know what time the game starts? Can't find any info on the official Barca website.

 

[tacticvarium]

When was the last time La Masia/B team successfully produced a top level player when the team was promoted and playing in the Segunda A?
Promotion seems only great for a few of those who is currently too good for the third division but not yet ready to play for the first team.
Deulofeu, Grimaldo, Denis, Adama, Alena, etc. were all the same cases but surprisingly none made to the top level football.
I no longer believe Segunda A is a necessary experience for a top level talent for their further development.
Not sure how Segunda A will help Moriba's development either.
Hope he doesn't end up like one of them.

 

[xXKonan]

I think the last two seasons under Pimienta was the first time I feel like the B team was getting back to how it should be doing aka properly developing players while getting some younger talent from the outside to see how they fare.

I don't want the team to experience that dreadful 14/15 and those years with Lopez trying way to hard to get the club back to the Second Division. Sure we managed to do it but the team went straight back down to how badly they struggled in the second division which saw Lopez being binnned for Pimienta.

 

[Messi983]

Do you know what time the game starts? Can't find any info on the official Barca website.

 

[Messi983]

When was the last time La Masia/B team successfully produced a top level player when the team was promoted and playing in the Segunda A?

You could also ask when was the last time we produced a top level player at all, regardless of the level Barca B was playing when he was there.

As long as he gets regular playing time I don't think playing in Segunda instead of Segunda B is really having any negative effect on player's development. IF a player is good enough he'll make it if he's not he won't. Obviously this is simplified as there are other factors like injuries and overall level of competition he (a young La Masia kid) would face in the first team when/if he's promoted that ultimately decide his fate at the club.

I mean, Deulofeu was arguably one of the best players in Segunda in his second season (2012/13) there. Do you believe his career would go a different path had he played in Segunda B instead? Yet despite his dominance in Segunda he didn't make it here nor in any other big club. Why? He has/had a good enough natural abilities (specifically speed) and technical knowledge to stay here for at least a few years as a backup but he lacked a football inteligence, which is what usually makes a difference between average and good players.

The same with Adama. He has elite athletical abilities, he's good technically but he's just not "smart" enough. He's playing in a perfect team and the perfect league that suits his strengths right now but he would struggle immensely if he'd come back here and need to play a slow posssion based football against parked buses almost every week.

We should also keep in mind that every year we'll have not 5 or 10 but mostly one or two players in Barca B who could have a potential first team future and who we should do our best to help him develop his full potential (now if that will be good enough is still questionable).

This season that player was Puig. Fati is a special case because he has jumped straight from Juvenil A to the first team without ever playing an official game for Barca B and I don't think something like this will happen again soon (if ever). And while Araujo did make some first team appearances it will be next year when he'll need to fully establish himself as a first team player.

Next season our focus should be on Ilaix. If we're promoted I don't think he'll struggle in Segunda. He's ready physically (personally I believe Segunda B is a more physical league while Segunda is more technical) so this shouldn't be a problem. Technically he's on the level if not above with all Segunda players. And from what I've seen I also believe he's ready mentally to make a jump to a higher division. And if he'll struggle to adapt initially he has a good mentor/coach in Pimienta to help him.

If Pedri will stay in Barca B (which I don't think it's the best for his development) he has already proven to be good enough for Segunda and should do even better surrounded with better players.

While I like other players like Konrad, Monchu, Jandro, Hiroki and Collado I don't believe anyone of them has a longterm future at the club. They might make some occasional first team appearances but in 2-3 years they'll probably all play for some midtable teams in La Liga or other top 5 leagues. And their future won't change drastically (for better or worse) if they'll play in Segunda A instead of Segunda B next season. But hopefully I'm wrong and we can get one or two more squad players for a few years out of those players.

I know people expect/want us to produce starters or even worldclass players like Busi, Xavi or Iniesta (won't even mention Messi because we've probably get our "luck" for the next 100 years with him) but I'll take whatever we can get out of La Masia. In times when even most backup/squad players on the market cost at least 30-40m and there is no guarantee they'll actually make it it's well worth it if you can produce a few cheap homegrown players to sit on the bench for a year or two and sell them if/when you find someone better.

 

[Vilarrubi]

3 Catalan teams. Nice.

 

[soul24rage]

thank you!