Pedri and Ansu, a duo for the future
The young players at Barça are not just important in the present but they are the key to the Club's future. Various youngsters have featured for the first team in 2021/22 but injury has restricted the appearances of two of the blaugranes' brightest stars for the future: Pedri González and Ansu Fati.
Physical problems have meant that striker Fati has made just 15 appearances whilst midfielder Pedri has appeared on 22 occasions for the first team.
Just 13 matches together in two seasons
Unfortunately for Barça, Pedri and Ansu Fati have just coincided on the pitch this season on three occasions, and even then they have never started the game together. When one has been available, the other has been injured, just as occurred the previous season. In two seasons in the first team squad the two players have played together just 13 times in 107 competitive fixtures.
On the three occasions they have played together this season, results have not gone their way but they have had an impact on games such as the Super Cup clash with Real Madrid and the extra time nail biter against Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey.
Last season the two youngsters combined in great performances such as the win at Juventus in the Champions League and the victory over Ferencváros at Camp Nou in the same competition. In the latter both Pedri and Ansu Fati found the net, the first time two U18 players had scored in the same Champions League fixture.
Pedri has a contract until 2026 and Ansu until 2027 so despite not having been able to build their partnership as they would have liked on the field over the last two seasons, there is still plenty of time for them to be key members of the Barça side over the new few years.
11 goals this season
In the 2021/22 seasons Ansu Fati has made 15 appearances for the first team whilst Pedri has played 22 matches. Nevertheless, both have contributed substantially to Barça attacking threat with Ansu scoring six times and Pedri finding the net on five occasions and providing one other assist.
Two 'Golden Boys'
At the age of 18 Ansu Fati was named the best young player in the world. In 2020 he was pipped to the Golden Boy award by Erling Haaland after another excellent season. In 2021 the award went to Pedri, who also claimed the Kopa Trophy, another prestigious prize handed to the best young player of the year.
Both players will still be eligible for the 2022 Golden Boy award come the end of the year.
25 days apart and 1,800 kms apart
Pedri and Ansu Fati seem set to become key figures in the future Barça team with the two young talents separated in age by just 25 days. Ansu Fati was born in Guinea-Bissau on 31 October 2002 and Pedri in Tenerife on 25 November of the same year, some 1,800 kms away in Tegueste in Tenerife. Two youngsters from the same generation set to mark the next in Barça history.