The victory over Napoli was one that really boosted the confidence of Barcelona in great fashion. Not only did the Catalan giants manage to overcome their Italian opponents, but they managed to do so with a strong 3-1 scoreline. Beyond just Barcelona managing to find offensive opportunities, they were defensively strong as well.
The usual suspects in Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde continuously provided great cover to the their Blaugrana teammates. Moreover, Joao Cancelo persistently provided offensive depth and created a sense of danger on the left flank whenever he would travel upfield with the ball at his feet.
Yet, the most complete performance from a defender came from neither of these three names. Instead, it was 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi who constantly rose high, both literally and figuratively, and delivered a performance for the ages, both creatively and defensively.
Moreover, as highlighted by SPORT,, Cubarsi even walked away with the MVP award from the game. Despite this clash against Napoli being his debut on the European stage, Cubarsi managed the game for Barcelona like a seasoned veteran with the legs of a young and hungry hound.
Playing the entirety of the 90 minutes and additional time, at no point did Cubarsi give Xavi a single reason to want to take him off. Instead, changes around him continuously took place but the 17-year-old remained on the field. With the 80 touches he had all game, Cubarsi truly made every action count.
Completing 61 passes with a success percentage of 90%, the Barcelona gem was precise. Moreover, he completed 9 out of his 15 attempted long balls, a few of which ended up creating some of the most dangerous chances that Barcelona conjured up. Moreover, he was not dispossessed a single time throughout the entire game.
Defensively, Cubarsi was just as unreal if not more. Coming up against a proven superstar like Victor Osimhen, many would have to keep their nerves in order. Cubarsi, on the other hand, was ready to show the Nigerian striker a defender who was neither intimidated nor short of better quality.
The 17-year-old won each of the three tackles he attempted, and also made 5 clearances across the game. Moreover, he had one interception and made 5 recoveries for Barcelona, some of them in very dangerous areas that could have created problems for Xavi’s team.
Furthermore, he even won all six of the duels he contested for with a 100% success rate, winning thrice on the ground and even winning all three of his duels in the air.
The footballing world is gradually going to realize his name, and it is indeed a special one. Many have tried to come into Barcelona and leave their mark as a Barça centre back, but few have possessed the DNA of the club and its philosophy as much as Cubarsi does. It is truly up to the imagination what this pearl’s true projection really is.
