The crucial victory over Paris Saint-Germain sees Barcelona take a slight lead into the second leg. A 3-2 scoreline was what La Blaugrana now take away from Parisian soil and it is a result they can be happy with. However, much of the praise for the victory must go to the Barcelona defenders.
Jules Kounde understandably gets the praise he deserves for dealing the way he did with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, and Ronald Araujo too for his ability to suppress the PSG attacks. However, one other player who deserves to get additional praise is 17-year-old Spanish defender Pau Cubarsi.
Even after the game, as highlighted by SPORT, Xavi Hernandez made sure to give the young starlet the words of praise and encouragement that he deserved:
“He (Cubarsi) is at an extraordinary level at only seventeen years old. I run out of praise and adjectives to describe him. He shows personality, he does everything right, he wins duels, they hardly beat him behind, because he is well placed and positioned.”
The Barcelona coach also highlighted his pleasure at how well the team was integrating youth into the first team this season: “One of the things that makes me most proud of all this, is also that we play with teenagers.”
Specifically with Cubarsi, however, the Barcelona manager has a special kind of respect and praise involved: “He shows personality, he does everything right, he wins duels, they hardly beat him behind, because he is well placed and positioned.”
Playing the entirety of the game from start to finish, Pau Cubarsi did more than just one thing right. With his exquisite passes that constantly managed to help Barcelona evade the PSG pressure, and his defensive contributions that frustrated even the likes of Kylian Mbappe at times, the 17-year-old was unreal for Barcelona.
With an 89% pass success rate, 48 of his 54 passes reached their desired target. Two of his passes even went into the final third and initiated some solid Barcelona attacks. He was only dispossessed once in the entire game as well, and that was still just his contributions with the ball at his feet.
Defensively, the Barcelona academy gem was just as vital to the team. Making one block and ensuring four clearances, the youngster had no patience for PSG’s offensive antics. He also made five recoveries throughout the game, a solid number that ensured Barcelona gained back possession in dangerous areas.
