Barcelona may have a transfer ban, but that hasn’t stopped them from making new signings. And so we look at the B team and how it has already strengthened for the next half of the season.
Barcelona B’s new recruits include attacking midfielder Xemi, who has stepped onto the pitch of his club’s stadium, the Camp Nou, and has defeated Barcelona and Valencia. They have also brought in Dani Romera, a striker who has played Córdoba in the league twice in the space of five weeks and won 2-1 both times. Finally, they have signed Jokin Ezkieta, a goalkeeper who has played for the Spain U-19 team but hasn’t played a single professional match in Spanish football. Ever.
Confused? Maybe I should explain…
Xemi is currently playing for UE Cornellà, a team that plays in the 1,500-seater Nou Camp Municipal. Their first game of this season was at home against Barcelona B, which they won 2-1. And nearly a month later, again at home, Cornellà defeated Valencia Mestalla 3-2.
20-year-old Xemi is highly energetic and is known for his hard work and defensive nature. He has started all 16 league matches so far and has already accumulated four yellow cards. And he has an eye for goal too - in the 2015 calendar year he has scored five times so far - and hopefully when he joins Barcelona B in January he will score some more.
Dani Romera, a 20-year-old striker, is currently at Barcelona B, but can’t play until January. Last season, he played for UD Almería B but was called up several times to the first team. Therefore, he played against Córdoba in the first team, and then just over a month later played with his B team against their B team.
Romera is a quick striker who is known for his ability to evade defenders with speed and agility. Last season he scored 15 goals in 31 league games. Surely, with Barcelona B’s midfield quality, he will be able to score many more goals.
Like Romera, Jokin Ezkieta was signed over the summer. The 19-year-old goalkeeper has actually played for the Spain U-19 team, and was the third goalkeeper last year for CA Osasuna, but has only played for amateur, fourth-tier Osasuna B.
He might be the most promising signing of all. While comparisons to De Gea and Courtois by Sport and Mundo Deportivo respectively are premature and ridiculous, what we do know is that he is 6’6" tall, quick and has sharp reflexes. Osasuna saw that he had the talent - and lost their next big star due to contractual disputes. Unfortunately for them, Barcelona B saw the potential in him too.
In January, Barcelona B will have four goalkeepers - five if you count Andreu Cases who has been called up twice. Surely at least one will have to leave. With Adrián Ortolá having played every minute of every match so far, this could be a tough call for coach Gerard López.
Barcelona B might not be pushing for the promotion spots, they may not be playing particularly well, they may have little consistency and they may not have the most talented squad either. But the aim of the B team - or any B team - is not sporting success, but to motivate players to work hard for successful careers in Spanish football. And in that respect, adding talented players makes the competition fiercer - and more interesting to watch.
For the most motivated players, the ones that are truly hungry for success, will make it.
from Barca Blaugranes - All Posts http://ift.tt/1NRlHb7
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