The road to defending a European crown begins now. FC Barcelona’s Juvenil A are set to make their Youth League 2025-26 debut this Thursday against Newcastle at Whitley Park. Under new coach Pol Planas, the young Blaugrana hope to follow in the footsteps of last season’s historic triumph, when Juliano Belletti’s side lifted the trophy in Nyon.
After starting the domestic campaign strongly with a 4-0 win over Zaragoza, Barça’s academy talents are eager to make their mark in Europe once again.
The Squad: A Blend of Experience and Youth
Full List of Called-Up Players
Pol Planas named 20 players for the trip to England:
Goalkeepers: Eder Aller, Max Bonfill
Defenders: Guillem Víctor, Baba Kourouma, Pol Bernabéu, Lorenzo Oertli, Olmedo, Campos, Andrés Cuenca
Midfielders: Pedro Rodríguez, Dani Ávila, Pedro Villar, Orian Goren, Ebrima Tunkara
Forwards: Sama Nomoko, Shane Kluivert, Oriol Pallàs, Adrián Guerrero, Gistau
Notable Absences
Injured: Iker Rodríguez, Leo Saka, Nil Vicens, Quim Junyent
Technical decision: Lovro Chelfi and others
Reinforcements from Barça Atlètic
Several players from Barça Atlètic are eligible due to their age and join the squad: Eder Aller, Olmedo, Cuenca, Espart, Nomoko, and Gistau.
Young Talents to Watch
Pol Planas is also giving opportunities to very young prospects:
Baba Kourouma (16)
Orian Goren (16)
Ebrima Tunkara (15)
These rising stars highlight Barça’s commitment to giving La Masia talents early exposure to elite European competition.
Group Stage Challenges
The Juvenil A side will share the same group stage opponents as Barcelona’s senior team, with slight variations. They will face:
PSG
Olympiacos
Club Brugge
Chelsea
Eintracht Frankfurt
Plus later fixtures against Slavia Praha and Copenhagen
This group promises exciting clashes, offering the youngsters valuable experience against top European academies.
Remembering Last Year’s Historic Treble
The bar is set high. Last season, Barça’s Juvenil A conquered the Liga, Copa del Rey, and Youth League, completing a remarkable treble under Juliano Belletti.
Their Youth League run included:
A dramatic penalty shootout win over Dinamo Zagreb
A 3-1 away victory against Aston Villa
A 2-1 win over Stuttgart in the quarterfinals
A Final Four triumph in Nyon, with victories over AZ Alkmaar and Trabzonspor
That campaign brought the club its third Youth League trophy, cementing La Masia’s reputation as Europe’s most productive academy.
Bottom Line
Barcelona Juvenil A start their Youth League journey with the weight of expectation after last year’s historic treble. Under Pol Planas, the challenge is to maintain Barça’s European dominance while continuing to develop future stars for the first team.
For fans of La Masia, this is more than just a youth competition. It’s a glimpse into the club’s future. The campaign begins in Newcastle, but the ambition is clear: bring the trophy back to Barcelona once again.
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