Xavi Espart is Barcelona’s new La Masia star, compared to Philipp Lahm by Hansi Flick

A notable surprise from last week’s Champions League last-16 first leg at St James’ Park was Newcastle’s struggle to secure a lead until the 86th minute amidst an electric atmosphere.

Barcelona found themselves struggling to impose their will on the game, and Harvey Barnes’ goal appeared to have clinched a significant victory for the Premier League team. Faced with this, Hansi Flick opted for an unanticipated change.

From the substitutes’ bench, 18-year-old Xavi Espart received instructions to prepare. He entered the game, stepping in for Ronald Araujo, Barcelona’s captain, who seemed fatigued and was caught out of position during Newcastle’s scoring play.

This marked Espart’s debut in a senior match. He ultimately played for approximately nine minutes, a duration that included stoppage time, which proved enough for Lamine Yamal to secure a 1-1 draw with a goal in the 96th minute.

Prior to the equalizer, he executed two key interventions within the penalty area, notably a precisely timed slide tackle against Joe Willock, and a resolute block to regain possession in the midfield. Within that brief period, his contributions were impactful enough to leave a lasting impression on Barcelona supporters. Espart himself is highly unlikely to forget this experience, and indications suggest a promising future ahead for him.

Espart exited the field beaming with joy, energized by Pau Cubarsi, a past La Masia colleague with whom he first played in 2018. Cubarsi, now 19, has already accumulated 118 appearances for Barca.

Both Spain’s Champions League broadcasters and numerous other national media outlets sought interviews with Espart. Immediately following his press commitments, Barca staff escorted him from the stadium, where yet another unexpected moment awaited him.

Since Espart’s debut was unforeseen, his sister was the sole family member present at the match, attending only because she is currently residing and studying in Manchester this year.

Just four days later, as Flick rotated his squad for Sunday’s home La Liga fixture against Sevilla, Espart earned his inaugural start for Barca, completing the entire 90 minutes. He delivered another commendable display in their 5-2 triumph.

While Espart is not widely anticipated to feature in the starting lineup for today’s return leg against Newcastle at the Camp Nou, based on his recent performances, he undoubtedly possesses a strong opportunity for continued development under Flick throughout this season.

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Espart belongs to the exceptionally gifted cohort of players born in 2007 from La Masia, a group that includes talents like Yamal, Cubarsi, and Marc Bernal. These players debuted for the senior team at 15, 16, and 17 years old, respectively. Espart, conversely, has had a somewhat more understated development path.

His journey with Barca’s youth academy began in 2015 when he was eight years old. A Barcelona native, he played for local teams CE Europa and Vilassar de Mar before being identified by La Masia’s scouting system via Isidre Gil, the same scout responsible for recommending Yamal.

He has enjoyed an exceptional last eighteen months at the club. Last season, he played a crucial role in Barca’s under-19s achieving a treble, securing their domestic league and cup titles, alongside the UEFA Youth League, all under the guidance of former club player Juliano Belletti, aged 49.

During the 2025-26 season, Espart advanced to Barca Atletic, the club’s reserve squad, currently managed by Belletti and competing in Spain’s fourth division. However, he has also maintained his involvement with the under-19s in the UEFA Youth League. Earlier this Champions League season, in September, he participated in the corresponding under-19 fixture when Barca initially faced Newcastle.

Pau Moral, a previous La Masia youth coach now with the academy of Qatari club Al Rayyan, coached Espart in 2017, when Espart was 11. Moral recalls that Espart initially played as a defensive midfielder.

“He embodied the quintessential Barca player,” Moral states. “His intelligence was remarkable; he grasped every tactical idea instantly and processed the game faster than anyone else. This fundamental quality is what enables him to excel as a right-back. He is so astute that he can adapt to any position. From a technical standpoint, I would place him among the finest players I’ve ever coached, on par with Gavi.

“The only distinctive feature about him was his small stature. His frame was almost indistinguishable within the oversized kit he wore.”

In that particular age category, players were divided into four distinct teams, labeled A through D. Typically, the most skilled and older children were assigned to the A team, which is where Yamal was placed. Espart, however, played for the D team.

“Espart’s physical maturation significantly influenced his placement on the D team,” Moral explains. “However, let it be clear, that team was exceptional, easily winning the league even when competing against players a year older. Nevertheless, that generation simply boasted an extraordinary abundance of midfield talent.”

For every youngster who successfully navigates La Masia, many others are released each summer; scores of players are informed they haven’t progressed. This is an unforgiving aspect of football. Espart, fortunately, was not among those cut, though at one stage, other midfielders were ranked above him. David Saez, Dani Avila, and Quim Junyent were names that preceded Espart in the midfield hierarchy.

A pivotal moment occurred three years prior.

While Espart was competing for Barca’s under-16 A team, both primary right-backs sustained injuries, necessitating the manager to seek an urgent replacement. Given his tactical acumen, Espart was selected for the role, and his performance was so effective that he has maintained that trajectory ever since.

“Observing him play, I appreciate his composure on the ball,” Flick commented on Espart during a press conference last week. “He reminds me of Philipp Lahm; capable of operating as a defensive midfielder or a right-back. His contributions are strong both in and out of possession.”

Espart initially garnered Flick’s attention during first-team training sessions in October. The coaching staff was thoroughly impressed, foreseeing his debut happening relatively soon. However, in November, while representing Spain’s under-19s on international duty, he suffered a knee injury that kept him out of action for two months.

Presently, he has a genuine opportunity to solidify his place.