The Youth Thread | Even our kids win trebles | Barça B in La Segunda & other Blaugrana Kids

Barca drew BvB in the 4th season of the Youth CL. 4 Liga youth clubs still in it (France and Portugal have 2 each), though 2 face off in the round of 16:

The UEFA Youth League began in 2014, with Barcelona claiming the inaugural title. Chelsea win it in 2015 and 2016, but did not qualify to compete this season.

KNOCKOUT DRAW IN FULL
Round of 16 (21/22 February)
CSKA Moskva (RUS) v Rosenborg (NOR)
Atlético Madrid (ESP) v Sevilla (ESP)
Barcelona (ESP) v Borussia Dortmund (GER)
Ajax (NED) v Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)
Monaco (FRA) v Real Madrid (ESP)
Salzburg (AUT) v Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
PSV Eindhoven (NED) v Benfica (POR)
Porto (POR) v Viitorul Constanţa (ROU)

Actually the whole draw is determined for the rest of the tourney, which is kind of nice:

Quarter-finals (7/8 March)
1 Monaco/Madrid v Ajax/Dynamo
2 CSKA/Rosenborg v PSV/Benfica
3 Barcelona/Dortmund v Porto/Viitorul
4 Salzburg/Paris v Atlético/Sevilla

NYON FINALS: COLOVRAY STADIUM
Semi-finals (21 April)
1 Winner quarter-final 1 v Winner quarter-final 2
2 Winner quarter-final 3 v Winner quarter-final 4

Final (24 April)
Winner semi-final 1 v Winner semi-final 2

Highlights from when Barca played for the first ever title with the Munir wonder goal at the end, where have you gone Godswill, Ondoa, Munir, etc:
2014 final: Benfica 0-3 Barcelona

DRAW FACTS
• Inaugural 2014 winners Barcelona are the only past champions still involved; Chelsea, victors in 2015 and 2016, did not qualify to compete this season.

• Benfica (2014) and Paris (2016) are previous finalists while Real Madrid (2014 and 2016) are the only other remaining team to have reached the semis in Nyon.

• A rematch of the 2014 final is possible with Barcelona and Benfica on opposite sides of the draw.

• Viitorul – founded by Hagi in 2009 with a special emphasis on youth development – Rosenborg and Salzburg are the first teams from their counties to reach the last 16.

----------------In Barca B news they ended their winless streak at 3 games and battled back from a goal down to beat Mallorca B 2-1, and remain in first place but only 1 point above Alcoyano for the promotion spot.

 

A summary of La Masia under Lucho, who got debuts, who has left, etc. during his time:
http://www.marca.com/en/football/barcelona/2017/02/20/58aac1f9268e3e8a298b45e9.html

In UEFA Youth CL we play tomorrow: http://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/season=2017/matches/index.html (4 of the 5 games today are complete and PSG lost 5-0 at Salzburg, could that possibly be an omen).

Barca B had a nice win this weekend to stay on top by 1 point, now with two wins in a row: http://www.totalbarca.com/2017/02/barca-b-roundup-marc-rafa-lead-way/

 

Despite going 1-0 down after six minutes, a Jordi Mboula inspired performance led to Barcelona beating Borussia Dortmund 4-1 as they reached the quarter finals of the UEFA Youth League.
Dominik Wanner gave the Germans the lead, but Carlos Perez, Abel Ruiz, Seungwoo Lee and Mboula completed the scoring for the Catalans.
Barcelona, coached by Gabri Garcia, will face Porto in the next stage of the competition.
Video of the match can be found here (probably need to click through), the final goal is pretty Messi like by Mboula: http://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/video/videoid=2443761.html?autoplay=true#latest



So we play Porto next in Quarterfinals - looks like we host;
winner then in Semifinals in Nyon (we could play Salzburg or Atletico if we beat Porto). Real alive on other side of draw after w 4-3 win today:
Quarter-finals (7/8 March)
Real Madrid (ESP) v Ajax (NED)
CSKA Moskva (RUS) v Benfica (POR)
Barcelona (ESP) v Porto (POR)
Salzburg (AUT) v Atlético Madrid (ESP)

• Barcelona are the only former winners remaining, having beaten Benfica in the inaugural 2014 final.
• Benfica, who have kept up their record of reaching the last eight in all four seasons, are the only other past finalists, though Real Madrid did make the 2014 and 2016 semis.
• Salzburg and CSKA are the first teams from their nations to get to the quarter-finals.
• Salzburg and Ajax are the only survivors from the Domestic Champions path.

The eight clubs are one win away from qualifying for the final tournament in Nyon in late April.

NYON FINALS: COLOVRAY STADIUM
Semi-finals (21 April)
1. Real Madrid/Ajax v CSKA Moskva/Benfica
2. Barcelona/Porto v Salzburg/Atlético Madrid

Final (24 April)
Winner of semi-final 1 v Winner of semi-final 2

 

That goal again:

 

Barcelona to open third U.S. training academy in Austin, Texas
http://www.espnfc.us/barcelona/story/3072818/barcelona-to-open-third-us-training-academy-in-austin-texas

 

Quarterfinal today v. Porto, 1800 local time, so early (generally 9 AM on North American west coast, generally Noon on east coast of North America)
http://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague...atch=2022559/prematch/player-lists/index.html

 

During the game I moved talk to the Season Thread, hoping others might follow the game. Barca won and are in the final four against Salzburg on April 21 in Nyon. On the other side will be Benfica playing either Ajax or Real Madrid (who play tomorrow). http://www.sport-english.com/en/new...league-semi-final-after-mboula-winner-5882895

In Barca B news, the club had a draw this past weekend, but maintained their 1 point lead at the top as the other top 4 teams all drew or lost. Mboula, who has been a star of Juv. A and of the UEFA Youth CL run, got his Barca B debut and did not disappoint:
Gerard looked to the 17-year-old to change the game, and he definitely delivered. Mboula did everything that Perea, Romera, and Alfaro failed to do, using his skill and pace to get by the full back and putting dangerous and accurate low crosses into Cardona.

Just six minutes after entering the field for his Barcelona B debut Mboula left his marker for dead, ran down the line, put a brilliant ball into the back post which forced a mistake from the Levante defender and Cardona was on hand to put away the loose ball for his 10th goal of the season.

Video at end of story
http://www.totalbarca.com/2017/03/barca-b-roundup-mboula-cardona-salvage-point/

 

This is a great story about taxi's (mini buses) taking kids to and from La Masia:

http://www.sport-english.com/en/news/barca/the-masia-taxis-following-the-route-dreams-5927434

Barca B has breathing room at the top after two straign 4-0 (well one was 0-4 - them winning on road) victories. 5 points clear. Still not sure but think that they still may have to win a playoff game to advance to main Segunda.

 

Barcelona B’s 12-0 thrashing of Eldense leads to losing side suspending all sporting activity and calling police enquiry on their own players

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/3238...-calling-police-enquiry-on-their-own-players/

damn

 

Cheikh Saad (Eldense): "Match fixing between Eldense and Barça B? I know who the players are (involved in it), but I cannot say." [rac1]
Cheikh Saad: "I know who they are but I cannot say at the moment. Four (Eldense) players are involved." [rac1]
Cheikh Saad: "When I am able to, I will reveal the names of the players (involved in match fixing)." [rac1]

 

Not clear that the first team can join them but the Barca youth team is in the semifinals of the Youth CL playing Salzburg in Nyon on Friday the 21st, winner meets the Real Madrid v. Benfica winner, also in Nyon, in the final on Monday the 24th. http://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/

Barca beat Porto 2-1, Salzburg beat Atletico 2-1, Real beat Ajax 2-1, and Benfica beat CSKA 0-2 in the round of 8. Barca's game was scoreless at half, then they went down 0-1 before coming back: http://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/video/videoid=2447249.html?autoplay=true

Cool feature on the 2014 Barca team, though sad how few are still with Barca: http://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/news/newsid=2449736.html#where+barcelonas+youth+league+winners

 

Well Barca youth lost in CL too, after getting to semifinals they had a great Mboula strike to take the lead, but then allowed 2 goals in the 2nd half (could've been more with better finishing) by Salzburg http://www.uefa.com/uefayouthleague/video/videoid=2460829.html?autoplay=true . Benfica beat Real Madrid 4-2 in the other semi on Friday, Salzburg went on to beat Benfica today 2-1. There was not 3rd place game, so no mini Clasico for a meaningless 3rd place distinction.

Meanwhile Barca B is up by 8 points with 3 games to play so virtually assured of winning their bracket Segunda B Division, but still need to win in a playoff to advance to the main Segunda. They will first play one of the other first place teams in a two-legged home and away match. If they win that they ARE promoted, however, if they lose that they have one more chance, competing with the other teams who finished 1st-4th in the 4 divisions (save for the two 1st place teams who won) - so 14 teams vying for 2 additional spots in Segunda.

 

Two of Barca B's 3 potential opponents for (the easier route to) promotion are known: Albacete (owned by Iniesta) and Lorca, but the 3rd prospective is still to be determined from Cultural Leonesa, Racing de Santander and Celta B. They will draw one of the three other Division winners and play a home and away 2-legged playoff, winner is promoted. Loser could still get promoted but needs to survive a playoff with 13 other teams (places 2-4 in each of 4 divisions, plus the other division winner who lost). http://www.sport-english.com/en/new...tential-rivals-they-bid-for-promotion-6024352

 

So we drew Cultural Leonesa, the 4th and final Tercera champion to be determined. Play them home (May 20th) and then away (May 28th) to determine 1 of the 2 newly promoted Segunda teams (Iniesta's Albacete plays Lorca in the other). The two losers join a 12 team playoff in progress (reduced to 6 I think when they join) format to determine the 3rd and final promotion.

It would be awesome to get back to Segunda, as it is so much more relevant our young cracks hoping to make the leap to the first team.

http://www.sport-english.com/en/news/luis-enriques-message-barcelona-fans-6047437

 

Topic on another message board I frequent...
What's the best team you can make using ex-youth products who are still currently playing.
The players had to have spent time at the academy - I'm guessing more time at La Masia than at another academy - and is a current active player but not in the current Barca senior squad. For example, Messi and Busquets cannot be considered but Pedro and Bojan are eligible.

 

first team:
----pedro-------icardi--------deulofeu----
------------thiago-----cesc------------------
grimaldo--------romeu-----------bellerin
------------bartra------s.gomez------------
--------------victor.valdez---------------------

subs:
----keita.b-------sanabria-----gio.dos.santos----
------------bojan-----jonathan.dos.santos---------
planas----------motta-----------montoya
------------muniesa------fontas------------
--------------------onana---------------------

who am i forgetting?

 

Barca B lost to Leonesa, now are in the playoff with Cartagena, 2 legged, starting at their place on June 4th. I think winners still need to win one more 2 legged battle to advance.

 

i am very proud of all of them.

 

The kids (Barca B) play at 1 pm eastern, 10 am pacific, today at Cartagena, first leg. Winner I believe will then need to win one more round to qualify for Segunda next season.

 

Barca won 1-2 at Cartagena, whom they host on June 10th, not sure if away goals breat a tie but a great result either way. 0-0 at halftime, Romera scored first in 50th minute, other side equalized in 53rd, the Gumbau scored in 82nd, Verdu was then redcarded for a 2nd yellow at the end so he will miss the return leg for them.

 

Barca held on to beat Cartagena over two legs (thanks to away goals) and now must beat Racing Santander to gain promotion to Segunda:

After beating Cartagena, Barça will now play Racing Santander over two legs, with the winner earning promotion. The first leg will be on Sunday at El Sardinero (18.00h), with the second set to be confirmed in the coming days.

Racing were perhaps the toughest team the young Barça team could have drawn given their history in Spain's top flight. The other tie will see Valencia Mestalla play Albacete.

This is Barça's second chance to gain promotion. Their first chance was against Cultural Leonesa via the winners route, but they lost over two legs and fell into the normal playoff route.

Cultural and Lorca have already won promotion and there are now just two spots left in the second division.

http://www.sport-english.com/en/new...g-santander-for-place-second-division-6100288

 

Halftime at Santander 1 - Barca B 2; two huge away goals by Cardona to end the first half. Second half about to start. Return game is at Barca in a week.

 

We are up 1-4 at there place, they got a red card in 2nd half and then Romera joined Cardona with a brace of his own. So long as we don't allow 4 goals at home Barca B will be in Segunda next season