Ronaldinho’s son makes his Barcelona youth debut against Manchester United

Ronaldinho's son made his Barcelona youth team debut
João de Assis Moreira

With even the likes of Joan Laporta taking time out in his latest press conference to confirm the signing of Ronaldinho’s son, Joao Mendes, with the Barcelona youth team, it remains no secret that there exist sky-high expectations of this fabled hero’s child.

Ronaldinho’s son has already made his debut with a merged team of Juvenil A and Juvenil B that recently just faced the youth team of Manchester United in a behind-closed-doors friendly match that took place at the Joan Gamper Sports City.

FC Barcelona have established that this friendly exists as a form of preparation for their actual objective ahead: The upcoming Round of 16 tie against AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Youth League.

The player clearly showcased both glimpses of talent as well as a clear need for time involving adapting to a new system and a new breed of football in Europe. Despite being the son of an icon of the game, the boy is still growing into a better professional and must be treated patiently.

The shadow casted by the legacy of his father is no small eclipse. As President Joan Laporta himself stated: “The pressure that the boy has is very great because Ronaldinho has been one of the best in history. The boy has pressure, but it is the job of our coaches to develop his skills.” This clearly indicates that the club understands his pressure well and is willing to be patient with his development.

Expected to bolster the depth of Juvenil A as of right now, the player comes into a new setup in the middle of an ongoing season and thus understandably still needs an adaptation period in which he can better hone his ability and understanding of this rather new kind of football to him.

The Latest

Barcelona midfielder rues defensive mistakes after Mallorca draw

The draw against Mallorca is seemingly being felt sharply by the players and coach of FC Barcelona, not so much because of the dropped...

Barcelona youngster reacts after scoring his first league goal: “I’m very grateful to Xavi”

FC Barcelona saw their winning run in La Liga come to an end because of the draw to Mallorca last night. While the final...

Mallorca coach agrees Barcelona should have been awarded a penalty in last night’s 2-2 draw

FC Barcelona drew against Mallorca last night and dropped two important points that can come to haunt them later in the title race. The visitors...

Xavi highlights mistakes as Barcelona draw against Mallorca

FC Barcelona saw their winning streak in La Liga come to an end as they drew the last night’s match against Mallorca. Although Barcelona...

Barcelona find a 15-year-old anomaly in the youth ranks – report

There is often an identity associated with FC Barcelona that visualizes a certain style of football. Flowing, strategic, positionally astute, and always capable of...

Barcelona maintain full faith in 17-year-old German prodigy – report

FC Barcelona consider its youngsters to be their pathway to the future and a gateway to success in the years up ahead. Their development,...

Xavi’s substitutes have been saviors for Barcelona – report

FC Barcelona are competing for several major trophies this season. The Catalans will be defending their Spanish Champions title while also competing for the...

Ter Stegen 6.0, Gavi 8.5 | Barcelona 2-2 Mallorca: Player ratings

Following a thrilling encounter, FC Barcelona share the spoils with RCD Mallorca over a 2-2 draw. With both sides having tried to play to...

Official: Barcelona starting XI to take on RDC Mallorca

FC Barcelona are raring to have a go at RCD Mallorca in their upcoming league clash at the Iberostar stadium in the Balearic Islands....