Barcelona Transfer News & Rumors: Can La Masia Save Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez & Company?
Barcelona's transfer ban is a huge issue for the legendary Spanish side.
The team will be stripped of the opportunity to buy up reinforcements for its squad for the next year, forcing it to rely on the mixed bag that it currently has.
But sometimes these testing moments can prove to be major turning points for a team. A moment in which the heroes come from unexpected sources. Sometimes, people are forced to play hands they may be uncomfortable with and find out that they are actually the best hands in the game.
And this is exactly what Barcelona is faced with. Not having any options outside of Camp Nou, the team might have to dig deep and find its saviors within the organization.
And this is a good thing. Do not forget where Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Carles Puyol came from. These club legends were once in La Masia and then graduated to lead Barcelona to its golden age. Why can't the same thing happen?
Aside from possessing a flawed-but-great squad, the team has more than enough options within the organization to patch up its flaws.
There are minor issues with the forward line, so despite having such great prospects as Munir El Haddadi, Gerard Deulofeu, Sandro Ramirez or Denis Suarez, this will not be part of the discussion. The real problems start in the middle and at the back.
Xavi is in decline as is Iniesta. Busquets has been far from his best this season and some feel he is on his way out. But not to worry, as the team has Sergi Samper, who can step into that position.
Other youth products that are already making an impact on the team include Sergi Roberto and Rafinha.
Sergi Roberto, in a small sample size of five Spanish league appearances, has the best passing success rate on the entire team while averaging 0.4 key passes per game. The former stat is wonderful while the latter is far from impressive. Rafinha does not have particularly impressive stats in either category with a passing success rate of 88 percent and 0.4 key passes per game in seven matches.
But the real trouble area is at the back end on defense. There are a number of prospects that could come in and save the day, including Alex Grimaldo, Edgardo le and even Patric. They have been solid for the B squad and could start the transition into the side as early as the preseason next summer.
But the real saviors will have to be the youngster already on the squad. Marc Bartra may not possess tremendous height and is a liability on setpieces, but he has arguably been the team's most consistent defender. His 2.2 interceptions per game is third behind Jeremy Mathieu and Martin Montoya, while his 2.8 clearances per game are second on the team behind Gerard Pique. He is doing this while committing minimal fouls and tackles, thus avoiding putting himself in a position to get a yellow card.
Martin Montoya is the other youngster who needs to be a big part next season. Like Bartra, he has been a club regular over the last few years, but now, it will be his moment to shine above the rest. He is second on the team in interceptions per game with 2.3 and is fourth on the team with 1.7 clearances per game. He is one of the top tacklers on the team with 2.3 tackles per game, but he is also among those who commit the fewest fouls per game. As a right back with the team, he is expected to contribute up the pitch and he is averaging 0.7 key passes per game, good for 11th on the team.
He is also averaging over 63 passes per game, 8th on the team. It has been a good campaign for Montoya and he is proving to be a huge help for a team in desperate need of a star on defense. Montoya is already proving himself better defensively that Jordi Alba, who is prized as Barcelona's star fullback. While Alba is a monster offensively, his defense is often painful to watch. Montoya is proving that he can play on both sides of the pitch effectively.
Do you think Barcelona has enough youth to make up for its transfer window woes in 2015?