The finals didn’t ended as we wanted for Barça B, as the team lost to Sabadell and will remain in the third division. However, the fact that they were so close to promotion should make us all very proud. Most of the players that started the match tonight were not supposed to be starters in the start of the season. Moreover, many of them were not even a part of the team. But in the end of the day, when you’re so close, it hurts to miss the promotion by so little.
What a season it was for Coach Francisco Javier García Pimienta and Barça B. As the first team is having a tough time this season, the second team gives us hope. Garcia Pimienta is leading his team in the most “Barça DNA” way possible. The team showed a lot of character this season. Moreover, they managed to make it to the Playoff’s finals with many “Remontadas” and dramatic wins. The win in the semifinals was just the latest win in this magnificent season.
Few months ago, when Valverde left the office for the last time, the first option to coach the team was Xavi. But when he, and Koeman as well, turned down the offer, Garcia Pimienta was one of the two final candidates. But, as we all know, the club preferred Quique Setien, the “Cruyff admirer”, and not Pimienta- his actual student. Since then Quique Setien looks like he will do anything to keep his job, and will give up on his values for that. Meanwhile, Pimienta led his team while his team looked much more entertaining than the first team.
In fact, if you’d take the first team minus Leo Messi and face it against Barça B it won’t surprise anyone if the second team would actually win the match. The players of Pimienta play with enthusiasm, pace and technique. That is exactly what the first team just don’t show on a regular basis.
Difficult squad to manage
All that is happening while Barça B is having a problematic year in terms of squad. If you will take a look at the squad that started the season, it looks a lot different than the one that played in the playoffs. Ansu Fati left the team without playing a single minute, Carles Perez, Alejandro Marques and Abel Ruiz in January. To them you can add Sarsanedas, Hiroki Abe and Collado who are out for with long term injuries. And if that’s not enough, Pimienta lost Chumi, Kike Saverio and Guillem Jaime – that finished their contracts just before the playoffs. But we should also add Araujo, Riqui Akieme and more – who left the squad many times in order to strengthen the first team.
Pimienta, as the guardian of the Barça DNA did what a La Masia man like him should do. He used the youth players, who did great job and helped the team reach new heights. For example, in the finals against Sabadell the average age of the Barça B players was 20.6, while Sabadell’s average age was 28.6. No matter how talented you are, playing against players with much more experience is always tough.
But Pimienta did what he had to do, and we as fans had the priviledge to see some great talents playing. Players like Ilaix, Konrad, Nils and more stepped up and helped covering the absence of the team’s stars. Along with them we can see players with more experience like Monchu, Cuenca and penalty hero Inaki Pena.
The club gained a lot of good experience for the young players, and those are the players who will lead the B team next season.
Garcia Pimienta to the rescue?
One thing that became clear is that Garcia Pimienta is one of the best football minds in Barcelona today. I think that his ability to work with the team. The fact that he has great experience in the club is great for him. In case that Quique Setien leaves the club, I believe that he is the best man for the transition period until Xavi is ready to take the job with the next president.
The man was a player in La Masia, and was assistant coach of Messi and Pique in the youth team. Moreover, with the fact that he won the Youth League and after this great season, he really earned his chance.
Will that ever happen? Let’s wait and see. Meanwhile, we can all enjoy these young talents. Personally, I look forward to a better board that would actually believe in our youngsters.
Ronald Araujo left the pitch crying because of an injury. However, he did leave the field walking, so let’s hope that his injury isn’t that bad. He was one of the heroes of the team this season, and Quique Setien would want to use him in the Champions League.
