Despite Barcelona’s recent struggle, Pau Cubarsi remains a key component in the club’s defensive unit.
At the age of just 17, Cubarsi has built a formidable defensive partnership alongside veteran Inigo Martinez, which has been central to the club’s success under Hansi Flick.
Cubarsi: Most important U21 player in Europe?
While others such as Lamine Yamal, and Jude Bellingham have garnered more media attention due to their dazzling skills going forward, Cubarsi leads Europe in one key metric.
Indeed, the defensive prodigy has racked up 1,984 minutes of football in all competitions – for both club and country.
As reported by Transfermarkt, this is significantly higher than any other U21 player in Europe. However, it must be noted that this list excludes goalkeepers.
Source: Transfermarkt
Yamal claims the second spot with 1,747 minutes accumulated across 22 matches. Jude Bellingham follows with 1,737 minutes.
Cubarsi’s remarkable achievement is a testament to his maturity, consistency, and the trust placed in him by Hansi Flick.
Beyond his minutes played, Cubarsi’s defensive contributions have been invaluable. His strong tackling, excellent positioning, and ability to read the game have been essential to Barça’s early success.
However, with Barcelona going through a tough phase, it is time for Cubarsi to step up his efforts and bring back the solidity in defence.