Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta has said the club’s young players are pushing for a first team spot.
Zubizarreta has also paid tribute to veteran Xavi Hernandez as they and the rest of Barca have been in England, preparing for the new season at the FA’s St George’s Park facility, and Zubi sees a lot of benefit from the summer camp.
“We’ve got a new Coach and that helps bring the team together,” he said, according to AS.
“We’ve been able to work on the football and been helped by living side by side. Being together all day gives you a lot.
“The organisation and intensity and concentration in training has been great.”
There are a number of new faces in the Barca training party, including new signings and youngsters called up from the B team.
“[The young players] have been great. They’ve shown they’re just a step away from the first team,” Zubi said.
“The new players have adapted quickly. They’ve seen that this is simply a football team and they know how important the challenges of the new season are.”
Zubi also touched on the decision to change Sergio Busquets’ number to No.5, vacated by Carles Puyol at the end of the season.
“It was a request from Carles to Sergio, and it’s a huge honour,” he added.
“I liked how they did it. They are home-grown players with our DNA and way of understanding football.
“It means a lot. It means the legend of the No.5 continues and the player taking it, though he’s young, is a World Cup winner and a European champion.”
