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

^ Thanks. Must have been an exciting match.

So they had the semifinal draw for the promotion playoffs. Barca B will play another second-place team, UCAM Murcia, this weekend.

https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/foot...a-b-to-play-ucam-murcia-in-playoff-semifinals

So another triple-header this Sunday: Barca B promotion semifinal, Barca Femini CL final and a must win match for FC Barcelona.

 

I just read this which answered my first question: Segunda B playoffs are one game, and if it ends up in a draw, the teams go straight to penalties. Always a guarantee for pure drama. Pimienta has taken two bunches of youngsters to two consecutive playoffs. Hopefully they’ll go all the way this time!

Second, is there a grid so to speak, as in do we know who we play if we win this semifinal? Or is it re-drawn (perhaps seeded even to favor the clubs with better finishes and/or better points per game) before the four finals, each of which results in promotion to Segunda for the winner?

If it is not re-drawn, do we play the winner of the last match (Athletic B v. Celtic Vigo B)? Or of which other semifinal.

Full list of semifinals
Burgos vs. Calahorra

Real Sociedad B vs. Andorra

Linares vs. Amorebieta

Badajoz vs. Zamora

Ibiza vs. Real Madrid Castilla

San Sebastián de los Reyes vs. Algeciras

UCAM Murcia vs. FC BARCELONA B

Athletic Club B vs. Celta de Vigo B

Finally, that Konrad assist for that first time Manaj blast! Manaj and Fati are our strikers next season, just hope Fati is finally fit. Video in the link, of course all 3 open play goals were great so just watch the video two post above

Another look at Rey Manaj’s cool finish yesterday pic.twitter.com/wurJoOtv5S

— La Masia (@Youngcules) May 10, 2021

 

Pretty sure there will be a new draw next Monday. Wouldn't make much sense if there are no first-place teams in Barca's bracket. I suspect teams will continue to carry their ranking into next week's draw so that group winners get drawn against the lowest ranking teams that remain.
Here is the draw that took place this morning (you can skip to around 35:00 minutes in for the start of the draw itself):

 

Piemienta is fired.

 

I don't understand why, Barca B has been playing well under him and many players have made the leap to first team (or started to). He was even named as a possible successor to Koeman. Why fired?

 

Still no comment form both sides but i think Laporta just wants to remake the whole Masia. Plus Pimienta is somewhat overpaid. Some say Barca don't like Pimienta usually talk about first team position.

 

Best explanations I've seen are on the Barca subreddit:

He was given laundry money players like Gustavo Maia, Matheus Pereira, & Rey Manaj when he wanted a proper striker and to keep Monchu. None of which happened. He was fighting to stave off relegation in the beginning with wire thin squad depth because his players kept getting injured. He replaced his RB like twice because Solano got ruled out for the rest of the season as well as Roger Riera. And even then he managed to qualify for promotion. With proper management he would've qualified. What a joke. I expected such short-sightedness from Bartomeu and his crew of dumb ********s who are all going to jail, not Laporta. This superficial understanding of football is why this club never recovers. This is a big mistake.

• mik1325 -3 points 2 days ago
  
  Totally agreed bro. Really this type of wild, short-sighted and politically motivated decision isn't something we expected from Laporta.
  
  • TheCrazyD0nkey 1 point 2 days ago
    
    If you don't expect politically motivated decisions from Laporta you don't know him very well
• how_is_reddit_free 3 points 2 days ago
  
  
  guess we'll have to wait and see what happens next but right now this makes no sense. Granted B team couldn't get promoted despite having the largest budget but imo Pinementa did a phenomenal job developing players and that I think should be the goal of B team. For many years before him, the priority of the team was results rather than development of youngsters and that is evident in that no academy player has been able to cement their place in first team in years.
  
  Pinementa worked wonders on players like Araujo, Mingueza, Puig, Collado, Nico Gonzalez to name a few. I could be wrong but I think he is the one who converted Puig from a false 9 to a midfielder. He had major injury issues all season in the team. RB spot has been cursed for past couple of seasons (Mateu Mori left too). He also had to deal with players missing B team matches because of their involvement with first team. (Mingueza, ilaix, de la fuente)
  
  Despite this barca b played attacking football, managed to develop players and reach playoffs only to be knocked out on penalties for second season in a row.
  
  So yes we'll wait and watch but if this does not work out, Laporta has shot himself in the foot.
  
  • GjillyG 8 points 2 days ago
    
    Awful decision. Pimienta was doing a great job, playing good football and consistently developing our young talents. Changing him now could easily ruin the progress of some of our best prospects.
    
    For those trying to defend this decision, his replacement has had an absolute shambles of a coaching career, recently failing in the chinese 2nd division.
    

 

Giving Rafa something to do:

https://www.marca.com/en/football/b..._K3K3ABpF68_Sic3sZZPbJNxhivOOa-UPXPFKvXVTm27o

 

Looking for a bit of help.
I recently saw this question in another forum. It's mainly directed to Premier League fans but I want to submit a Barcelona XI.

"What's the best XI you can make from current active players who have come through your academy? Either still at your club, or have moved away. They had to have played for you at U19 level, non-pro."

And, what the hell. How about a Real Madrid XI, as well.

 

--------Olmo----Fati----Messi------
------------Iniesta---Thiago----------
Grimaldo----Busquets----Roberto
----------Pique---EricGarcia-------
-----------------Onana----------------