Antonio 'Toni' Fernández is one of the 'pearls' looking for a place in the first team of FC Barcelona. That is why he has been taken into account by Hansi Flick on the Asian tour, where he made himself present on the scoreboard by scoring against Daegu (0-5).
The Rubí native already made his official debut with the first team in the Copa del Rey match against Barbastro (0-4) this year and hopes to earn a place in the squad in 25/26, although he will continue to alternate appearances with the reserve team in Segunda RFEF.
In that sense, Flick has seen qualities in Toni, who has already had two preseasons with the club, as he also formed part of the tour of the United States in 2024 at just 16 years old. Fernández can play as a winger or attacking midfielder, being a versatile player who can adapt to various positions in attack.
Toni Fernández wants to recover from the relegation experienced with Barça Atlètic
Having been relegated to the Segunda RFEF was a very hard blow that Barça received with its reserve team. Fernández was the referential player of Barça Atlètic, scoring 8 goals in 23 matches played in the Primera RFEF in the last year. This contribution, however, was insufficient to prevent the team's relegation.
The coaching staff of the first team is attentive to his performance in the reserve team, so that he makes the leap to the first team when necessary. He already saw minutes in the Copa del Rey against Barbastro last year and could become a regular in the LaLiga 25/26 squads, as long as he maintains the level shown in the preseason.
In total, the 17-year-old player accumulated 69 minutes of playing time in 3 matches in which he managed to score a goal. His cousin, 'Guille', had less playing time on the Asian tour (he only played 12 minutes) and stayed on the bench during the Joan Gamper Trophy.
Toni Fernández dreams of succeeding at Barça
There are clubs that have asked Barça about Toni Fernández, but the player and the club have ignored those interests. The Rubí native wants to fight for a place in the club and the sports management and coaching staff led by Hansi Flick are betting on him, although it will be difficult for him to have opportunities in big matches.
In 25/26, the 'LRL' formed by Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski will have Marcus Rashford, Ferran Torres and Roony Bardghji as alternatives. In addition, players like Fermín López, Dani Olmo and Gavi can also lend a hand in the attack if the coach requires it.
One of the teams that asked about Fernández at some point was Andorra, a club of which Gerard Piqué is the majority shareholder, proposing that he have regularity in LaLiga Hypermotion 25/26. Will the youth player be able to succeed in the elite with the Barça shirt?