Steve Nash and Stu Holden visit Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper

The Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper received a visit from two former sports stars from Stateside on Monday, as Barça representatives welcomed Steve Nash and Stu Holden to the club's training facilities. Both the former two-time NBA MVP and the US football national team player are involved with Segunda División club RCD Mallorca and wanted to see the inner workings of the FC Barcelona youth system. They were shown around by Xavier Vilajoana and Joan Bladé, members of the Board of Directors, and were taken to the basketball court to meet Juan Carlos Navarro and Kevin Pangos.

As well as speaking to the former and current Barça Lassa first team stars, the pair also met the Barça Lassa B players. Vilajona and Bladé gave them FC Barcelona jerseys with the numbers used in their playing days, and Nash and Holden then visited the football training pitches and the La Masia residence. There, Carles Folguera explained the Masia 360 project that is currently underway.

The Barça training model has attracted great interest from the media, and online publication The Bleacher Report followed the duo on their visit. They interviewed Xavier Vilajona, the head of youth football to learn about the structure and work at youth level. Finally, Nash and Holden visited the Tito Vilanova training pitch and were impressed by the work carried out with young talents.