Barcelona’s thrilling 5–3 victory over Real Betis was memorable not only for the eight-goal spectacle but also for a historic decision made by Hansi Flick before a ball was even kicked.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the German coach selected the youngest starting XI in Barcelona’s La Liga history over the last 95 years.
The average age of Barça’s starting lineup for the matchday was just 23.34 years, a figure that had not been recorded in competitive league football at the club since December 28, 1930, when Barcelona faced Racing Santander.
On that distant occasion, the average age stood at 23.09 years. For nearly a century, Barça had never again entrusted such a youthful group with the responsibility of leading a La Liga fixture at this level.
A detailed look
What made Flick’s decision even more striking was the statistical breakdown of the team, as nine of the eleven starters were aged 25 or younger.
Only Jules Kounde, aged 27, and Marcus Rashford, aged 28, were over that threshold, with the English forward standing as the oldest player in the lineup despite still being under 30.
Barcelona players
Flick fielded the youngest Barcelona XI in almost a century. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
At the heart of this youthful revolution were Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, both just 18 years old, leading a new generation that is being trusted at the highest level.
They were supported by Roony Bardghji (20), Alejandro Balde (22), and Pedri (23), whose maturity on the ball often disguises how young he still is.
Gerard Martin, also 23, added further balance, while Eric Garcia and Joan Garcia, both 24, formed part of the spine. Ferran Torres, at 25, completed the group of players still in the club’s core youth bracket.
This unprecedented statistic does not include the 1984 match against Zaragoza, when Barcelona’s average age was just 20.69 years.
That fixture is excluded from official records because the club was forced to field academy players due to a strike by senior professionals, making it a special case rather than a sporting benchmark.