As many as nine Barcelona players appear for their first-ever game at the Spotify Camp Nou later today – a statistic that puts into perspective how young some of the academy players are and how recently they have burst into prominence.
One of the players who stands in such a situation is Fermin Lopez, the young La Masia midfielder who has been one of the team’s best performers this season.
Since his debut under Xavi Hernandez against Villarreal in 2023, the youngster has come a long way and is now one of Barcelona’s most important profiles in the attacking midfield area.
In fact, he has already played 99 games for Barcelona, and today’s game is all the more special for him.
A massive milestone
Indeed, Barcelona’s first game back at the renovated Spotify Camp Nou later today will be Fermin Lopez’s 100th appearance for the first team.
Given that both Pedri and Frenkie De Jong are unavailable, he is very likely to even start.
Fermin Lopez, Barcelona player
100th appearance for Barcelona awaits. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
In his first season with Barcelona, Fermin racked up 42 appearances and produced 11 goals for the Catalans. He then earned a call-up for the UEFA Euro 2024 that Spain went on to win.
Last season, he made 46 appearances under Hansi Flick and had eight goals and ten assists, which are impressive numbers for a midfielder. This season, however, he has gone a step further.
So far in 2025/26, Lopez has already added 11 appearances to the 88 he had before the season began and has produced six goals and four assists, averaging just under a goal contribution per game.
The Spanish international also scored his first-ever hat-trick for the first-team and has become a starter – something that was not as clear in past seasons.
The game today will thus be a special one for the homegrown talent, and just the first of many he will play at the historic venue.