For those knowledgeable about the big names of La Masia, talking about Antonio 'Toni' Fernández is not unusual. Indeed, the Rubí native has already begun to stand out as one of the most interesting talents from the FC Barcelona academy, currently playing for Barça Atlètic under Albert Sánchez, and he has even had the privilege of debuting in the first team under the guidance of Hansi Flick.
The talented youth player, at 16 years, five months, and 20 days old, made his official debut for FC Barcelona on January 4th, in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey 2024-25. In that match, Toni Fernández entered the field in the 81st minute, replacing Pablo Torre, giving him about nine minutes to showcase his worth.
The forward utilized that brief interval to show some flashes that speak highly of his quality. He appeared as a 'number 10' and played a couple of good passes to Fermín López that unfortunately didn't result in goals due to the UD Barbastro goalkeeper's reaction.
Toni Fernández and the memory of his debut with Barcelona against UD Barbastro
On that day, Toni Fernández became the second youngest debutant in the history of the blaugrana's first team, only behind Lamine Yamal, marking an unforgettable day for him and his family. The La Masia standout recently explained to the club's official media that, initially, he felt "calm" before his debut.
His family's reaction didn't take long
However, after the excitement of his first match as a FC Barcelona player, he revealed receiving an emotional call from his family, who, with tears and excitement, contacted him to express their joy seeing him in the first team jersey in an official game. It's worth noting that he had been called up six times before, a number that surely would have been higher if not for a right ankle injury that kept him out of action for almost two months.
Now, Toni Fernández, with great sporting ambitions, has acknowledged that this debut is just the beginning of his promising career, hoping for a positive evolution. "I'm not satisfied, I've only taken a very small step. I'm learning from the best," he warned.
To conclude, the forward didn't miss the chance to thank Hansi Flick for giving him the opportunity to debut and for trusting in him. "I want to thank Flick and his 'staff' for my debut, and the club's people," he concluded.