The main entrance of La Masia ( Famed FC Barcelona academy ) Residence, Oriol Tort Education Center, in Sant Joan Despi is pictured on September 20, 2021. - Many players from Barcelona's youth system go on to have careers in football, as Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Carles Puyol, Pep Guardiola or Gerard Pique.

Barcelona discover a 18-year-old aerial maestro in the subsidiary

Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images

It is not uncommon within FC Barcelona to discover great gems from the subsidiary. The Catalan giants have always been renowned for their rather technically gifted academy talents, and that is a trend that continues today. Many of the most talented Barcelona youngsters even manage to find opportunities with the first team.

Most of these ascending youngsters involve forwards and midfielders. Oftentimes the most productive of the Barcelona starlets, their technical abilities and creative excellence allow them to excel beyond their peers. However, every now and then, certain anomalies also manage to emerge.

Pau Cubarsi, for instance, was a great find for Barcelona. Talented defenders are not as common to find in La Masia and the subsidiary as their midfield and frontline counterparts, but their discovery is also special for that exact reason. Now, it seems that Barça may have found yet another one.

As highlighted by SPORT, Sergi Dominguez is the latest defensive gem found within the walls of Barcelona Academy. Currently aged 17, the Catalan defender is a player who possesses a great number of talents and assets that he uses to help out his team.

His most notable quality is his ability to be almost unreachable when it comes to aerial duels. Coupling his defensive positioning with his strong aerial dominance, the ‘high-flying’ defender is one who truly impresses in the air.

Beyond just his aerial dominance, however, the 17-year-old is also quite capable of playing out from the back. His ability to connect with his teammates and help his side bypass pressure from opponents is another standout ability of his that impresses the coaches.

As a result of his continued commitment to the Juvenil sides, impressing in both the Honor Division and the UEFA Youth League, he has earned some major invitations. First came the call-up to participate in a game for Barcelona Atletic by Rafa Marquez, and now it is time for him to get a taste of some first-team action.

Invited by Xavi Hernandez to partake in the first team training, he joined several other youngsters also participating. While it may be a bit too premature to think of him debuting with the first team, he still seems to have earned the right to at least be considered by Xavi as a notable prospect.

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