The faith that FC Barcelona continues to place in its own youth is an unparalleled display of commitment. La Blaugrana remain a team that understands the value of their youngsters and of giving them the right opportunities. Unfortunately for Barcelona, they are currently left with that path as their only option rather than a choice.
Due to financial shortcomings, the Catalan giants have been unable to reinforce the team as well as they would have ideally liked to. Instead of getting a new pivot or even managing to sign Nico Williams, the only top-level signing that Barcelona could make was Dani Olmo this summer.
However, for a few fleeting moments, it seemed that they had found an answer to their defensive midfielder problems from within La Masia itself. Marc Bernal managed to stand out, a 17-year-old youngster from the Barcelona youth system, and he became the undisputed leader of Flick’s defensive midfield role.
Unfortunately, calamity soon followed and the player now has to wait an entire season to feature again due to an ACL injury. In his stead, however, Hansi Flick has found a dependable lieutenant in Marc Casado, a versatile 20-year-old midfielder who was formerly the captain of Barcelona Atletic.
Yet, for those who are still uncertain about Casado’s progress or do not know what he has come through to get to this position, the words of his first-ever coach at Barcelona, Carles Martinez, have been brought forward by SPORT as they questioned him about the player’s profile and spirit:
“He is a player who always gives his all, understands perfectly what happens around him, is very competitive, and always helps the team.”
In terms of his understanding of the game, the former La Masia coach was praising the player’s intellect:
“He is one of the central midfielders I’ve coached with whom I’ve talked the most about the game. During a match, I could look at him, and we would already understand each other. He knew whether he needed to move to the side or stay more central… He understood the game very well.”
As for what his future options could look like, Martinez seems to believe he has already found out the destination where he could make a great career for himself:
“Casadó is a very intelligent player on the field, excellent at pressing, and understanding defensive responsibilities. I believe he has a future at Barça.”
He also highlighted that the player himself has been waiting for this moment and he has been fighting for it as well despite younger players around him managing to get those opportunities ahead of him:
“He has been waiting for his moment. Debuting at his age is quite normal. We’re in an era where debuting at 16 or 17 is seen as usual, but that’s not the case. He has worked hard and has been the captain of the B team.”
Furthermore, beyond his abilities on the pitch and his qualities that make him a great player, Martinez also highlighted what makes Casado a great individual to be around and connect with:
“When we were at Barça, we connected immediately. On a personal level, he’s a very approachable, friendly guy who likes to have good relationships with everyone.”
For now, Casado seems to have a great spot in the team that feels secure. With Bernal injured, the player stepped up to replace him against Real Valladolid and while he was not a standout player due to the kind of game it was, Casado did everything right to make sure his teammates excelled at doing what they do best.
