Barcelona beat Real Madrid, Atletico to signing Gavi

Former Barcelona academy directors Jordi Roura and Aureli Altimira have detailed the successful emergence of three young players.

Posted Friday, November 01, 2024 by Tribalfootball.com

Roura and Altimira has overseen the development of several of Barca's current first teamers.

On Lamine Yamal, they told Mundo Deportivo: "He came to a tryout when he was six years old. He was skinny, not very tall, he walked strangely... In that game there were 20 kids chasing a ball. It was crazy. But every now and then, that strange-looking kid would do things that made you say: 'Wow! This kid is different!'"

On Pau Cubarsi, they stated: "Our concern was to see how he would develop physically. I asked to know who his father was to see his physique. I saw that he was a big guy, 'ben parit'. Football-wise he suited us because of his personality and because, in addition to having good feet, he was very good defensively."

For Gavi, they explained: "We received very good information from the Andalusian scouts. And it is essential to know how to use him. On Sunday we were already watching him in Seville. I immediately called Aureli –says Roura– because we had to get going quickly.

"We spoke to his agent, Iván de la Peña, because Madrid, Atletico and Villarreal were pending and within a week Gavi was already visiting La Masia. Speed was key."