Antonio Conte, one of the most successful coaches in Italy, expressed his admiration for the work that FC Barcelona does with its youth team in an extensive interview with The Athletic. The former coach of teams such as Juventus, Inter, Chelsea and Naples highlighted the quality of the training that the Barça club offers its young people and expressed his interest in visiting La Masia to observe first-hand how the progression of players in the lower categories is managed.
During the conversation, Conte described how Barça manages to integrate its 18-year-old players into the first team in front of a crowd of 100,000 spectators, something he considers “extraordinary.” He pointed out that the ease with which these young people adapt to the professional level demonstrates the intense work that is done behind the scenes, where the structure of the youth team is perfectly aligned with the needs of the starting team. “I would love to see your training center,” he commented, underlining the coherence between the youth development philosophy and the first team strategy.
The Italian coach also shared an anecdote that illustrates the effectiveness of the system. While watching a Barcelona game, he heard the name of a young left back, Xavi Espart, who he didn't know. A DAZN commentator had pointed out that the player had appeared in just four 10-minute games the previous year and that his loan was being contemplated. However, in the match he observed, Espart performed as a starter with surprising ease, cutting inside and providing decisive assistance. Conte highlighted the player's personality and talent, comparing it to Anthony Gordon's performance on the wing.
The story of Conte, who was recently linked to Naples, highlights the importance that Barcelona gives to the training of its young talents. His desire to visit La Masia underlines the club's reputation as one of the most advanced development centers in world football. With the season underway, Barça continues to demonstrate that their youth system model not only produces high-level players, but also integrates them seamlessly into the first team, which Conte says is a testament to the success of their approach.