Pau Cubarsi call-up risks yet another Barcelona wonderkid being burned out before their prime

A Barcelona ball playing centre back with game maturity of a player almost 10 years older than him, he has been called up to the Spanish squad for two international friendlies and has already made his debut at 17 beating Seegio Ramos' record by over an year. As talented as he might be, he is only 17 years old and has been playing in week in week out for Barcelona this season and is now on course to represent Spain. 

But amidst the hype, Spain could end up in pain just like their other wonderkids like Pedri, Lamine Yamal and Ansu Fati how have either been overturned and exhausted, or have been overturned to such an extent that the ended up being riddled by injuries which ended up derailing their natural development. It could have been partially avoided with better game management at both club and country level with Ansu Fati being the prime examples who was at the stage Yamal and Cubarsi are at right now about 3 years back.

Football lovers all over the world and Barcelona fans alike would hope that Pau Cubarsi can last as long as the Barcelona legend his game style is being compared to as well as his level of Footballing IQ for such a young player, Gerard Pique. Tou just can not risk a player who is wining  Man of the Matches in Champions League at 17 and is as comfortable progressing as well as playing out of the back which is vital to the Barca school of Footballing philosophy. Former Manchester United legend has suggested that Cubarsi could be  better than both Pique and Carles Puyol.

But to be better than Pique and Puyol he need to last well I to his 20s and with the crazy amount of match he's being played in the Football calendar which has lead to a pattern of players initially performing well for their club, called to their country, performing well for their country, getting Injured in part due to either burn out caused by poor game management or being inured. Also not having the right environment to recover and thus never being the same again leaving Spain to find yet another wonderkid to plug the gap left by the previous guy who is old news now and the vicious cycle keeps on repeating with no viable solution in place as of now .

Both the Spanish National Team managers as well as the Barcelona staff are to take their equal share of game along with UEFA who has designed the foot all calendar but one has to adapt and change their approach to their current situation. Xavi, De La Fuenta or previously Lyis Enrique can benefit with smarter rotation of their squads. They can get the best out of their young guns while also protecting them alongside giving them more exposure by calling them up to the squads and letting them train with the seasoned pros. Giving them limited game time until they are physically ready slowly phasing them into senior football and thereby ensuring we don't end up losing more talent to Injuries.

A parallel example that perfectly fits the situation in which Pau Cubarsi right now is Axel Tuanzebe. He was when broke though at Manchester United, a highly technical and mature ball playing  centre back who looked really brilliant early on in his career. At time when United's defence seemed to be in shambles just like how Pau came in when it looked like Barca had a non existent defence. Injuries ended up eating his potential alive and is now a shadow of his former self and we would never know the ceiling of Tuanzebe and this could very well also be the future reality of Pau if things continue to carry on the way they are and they don't learn from. Their as well as other's past mistake.

Cover Credits - FC Barcelona Official