After the tour of Asia: Which academy player should stay in the Barça first team?

If something has characterized FC Barcelona in recent times, it is its ability to bet on young talents from La Masia, giving them the opportunity to show themselves with the first team. A formula that has allowed evaluating if they are ready to earn a regular place in the squad of the blaugrana team.

Under that logic, it is not surprising that in each preseason the pattern is repeated: the Catalan team resorts to several assets from the 'B' team to seek to secure a place among the greats. The recent memory of Barcelona fans refers to 2023/24, when Xavi Hernández took 32 players on the tour, including several without prior experience with the first team. Among them, the one who shone brightly was Fermín López, who with his great goal against Real Madrid in the preseason, earned a place in the squad and today is a pillar of the culé team.

Now with Hansi Flick in charge, the 2024/25 preseason also brought pleasant surprises from the academy. Names like Marc Bernal, Marc Casadó, Héctor Fort, Gerard Martín and Pau Víctor managed to enter first team squads, each with different quotas of prominence, but all leaving good feelings.

Young promises of Barcelona: the four players from the 'B' team who added minutes in Asia

Now, looking towards 2025/26, the big question arises again: Who will be the next youth player to earn the trust of Hansi Flick? The competition seems fiercer than in the previous year, since the club already has a compact block and a clear overbooking in several positions. Even so, it cannot be ruled out that some rough diamond has seduced the German coach during this Asian tour.

In this scenario, four young players from the azulgrana subsidiary were called up:

1. Jofre Torrents
2. Pedro 'Dro' Fernández
3. Antonio 'Toni' Fernández
4. Guille Fernández

All saw minutes during the 2025/26 preseason tour of FC Barcelona in Asian territory.

Dro and Toni Fernández: two of those who left the best impressions

Among them, the name that has attracted the most attention is that of 'Dro' Fernández. In his first commitment with Barcelona, against Vissel Kobe (1-3), he made a great debut, scoring a goal with the culé shirt. Beyond that goal, he was seen as a player without complexes, very loose from the attacking midfield (although he can also play on the wing), with a remarkable technique, resources for dribbling, vision to filter passes, and an exquisite strike.

Another who took advantage of this opportunity was Toni Fernández. In this preseason, his performances were from less to more: after not playing against Vissel Kobe and playing only 13 minutes against FC Seoul, he shone against Daegu, where he scored a goal and completed 45 minutes of quality.

In general, Toni proved to be a very versatile attacker. Although his natural position is the right wing, he was also seen on the left and even in interior areas. A skillful, elusive, technical and cheeky left-footer, who knows how to get into the area and generate danger.

Jofre Torrents: an interesting option for the left back

Jofre Torrents also added good minutes, a serious project to reinforce the club's left back. He was the only one of the four academy players who played the three matches of the tour: 33 minutes against Vissel Kobe, 45 against FC Seoul (where he gave an assist) and another 45 against Daegu.

Defensively, Jofre was solid in one-on-one situations, without fear of sliding when necessary. In attack, he left good feelings: he knew when to overflow and reach the end line, and also when to intervene in interior areas, showing criteria and good association ability. Even when the play required him to finish it himself, he responded.

Finally, the one who had the least playing time was Guille Fernández. The midfielder did not play against Vissel Kobe or against Daegu, participating only 13 minutes against FC Seoul. A time perhaps insufficient to evaluate his full potential, although he looked correct in the midfield, with good decisions with the ball.