Juliano Belletti, Barcelona youth coach
Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images
Making the jump from La Masia to Barcelona’s first team is an eternal dream of any young player in the academy, and the opportunity to take the said jump comes purely off the merit they accumulate.
Similarly, there is a tendency for any Barça Atletic manager to dream of an elusive jump up to become the coach of the first team. Pep Guardiola is the most famous to make that jump, and every manager dreams of being the next Guardiola.
Having a good understanding of the talents in the academy and the club’s philosophy, such candidates are usually promising to shift to the first team. The lack of experience, however, is a hurdle and even the current B team manager Juliano Belletti finds himself in a similar situation.
Speaking to the media in a recent interview, the Barça Atletic manager was asked if he would like to coach the Barcelona first-team at any point and he instantly responded in the positive, albeit with great maturity.
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - MARCH 04: Juliano Belletti, Manager of FC Barcelona, looks on prior to the UEFA Youth League Round of 16 match at Villa Park on March 04, 2025 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
Belletti does dream of a first-team role. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
“You have to go step by step. I started in a first team in Brazil and then I went to the formative football,” he began via SPORT, acknowledging that it was a gradual process.
Elaborating on how it is key that he stays committed to the job he currently has in hand instead of dreaming of a future opportunity, Belletti said,
“At this moment I have to be concentrated on the formation of the boys who are young. You have already seen that our average age is 18 and 19 years and today I have to be one hundred per cent in this,” he concluded.
Under his tutelage, Barcelona Atletic currently sit in fourth place on the standings of the Group 3 of the Segunda Federacion. They are just seven points off leaders Sant Adreu and in the bracket for the promotion playoffs.
Marcus Rashford and Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona
Marcus Rashford and Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona
Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona
Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona