La Masia.
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Barcelona continue to believe Ismael Ziani Lopez can fulfil his potential despite a frustrating injury record that has repeatedly interrupted his development.
According to SPORT, the 16-year-old striker is now working towards a gradual return to regular football, with a place at the Morocco U-17 World Cup among his immediate ambitions.
For a young forward who has spent much of his development battling physical setbacks, securing consistent minutes has become more important than rushing towards the first team.
Barcelona want Ziani, who signed a professional contract in December 2025, to rebuild his fitness and demonstrate what he can offer when he is available week after week.
As per the outlet, the teenager is currently expected to feature for Juvenil A against Racing Zaragoza on Saturday as the club continues to manage his progression.
Barcelona plan gradual return for Ismael Ziani at Juvenil A
✍️ El jugador 𝗜𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗭𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗶 ha signat la continuïtat al Club en la seva etapa juvenil 👏🏼 Gràcies, família Ziani-López, per confiar en #LaMasia per a la formació del vostre fill com a jugador i persona #FCBMasia 💙❤️ https://t.co/O0bLn9KE9F
— FC Barcelona – Masia (@FCBmasia) December 18, 2025
Ziani’s development has been repeatedly disrupted by injuries, including problems involving his knee and fibula that have required operations.
The outlet notes that he has struggled to complete a season without physical setbacks since his early years in football.
The scale of that disruption is reflected in his limited match experience. Since joining Infantil B in the 2022/23 season, the striker has played only 39 matches across the infantil, cadet and youth categories.
Despite those difficulties, Ziani has already shown signs of his potential, having made his Juvenil B debut on the opening day of the current league campaign and scored the winning goal.
Understandably, Barcelona are now prioritising a controlled increase in his workload.
Ismael Ziani – Cadet A Highlights https://t.co/kwlCYoUAGj
— ArsenKveFCB (@ArsenKveFCB) September 8, 2026
The intention is to give him more demanding minutes over time without exposing him to unnecessary physical risks after so many interruptions.
Morocco U-17 World Cup offers Ismael Ziani a major target
International football provides another incentive for the youngster to regain consistency.
Ziani has recently been called up to the Morocco U-17 setup and is working to earn a place in the squad for the World Cup in Qatar, scheduled to run from November 19 to December 13.
On that note, both Barcelona and Morocco want him to accumulate meaningful minutes with Juvenil A.
Regular football would strengthen his case for selection while helping him rebuild the rhythm that injuries have repeatedly taken away.
Gabriel Jesus of FC Barcelona
Gabriel Jesus of FC Barcelona