In case you don’t closely follow Barca B, here’s everything you need to know.
League position
This season, the Spanish Football Federation has decided to change the format of the third tier, dividing the 102 teams into 5 groups formed of 2 subgroups each. Barcelona B compete in the Group 3 subgroup A.
After 9 matches, the reserves sit in 4th spot with 13 points, having registered four wins, one draw and four losses. They are three points away from the group leaders but also just two points above the relegation zone.
Most-used players
- Arnau Comas (centre-back) — 810 mins, 9 matches
- Alvaro Sanz (right-back) — 669 mins, 9 matches
- Mika Marmol (left-back) — 603 mins, 8 matches
- Jandro Orellana (defensive midfielder) — 603 mins, 8 matches
- Santi Ramos Mingo (centre-back) — 540 mins, 6 matches
Top goalscorers
Rey Manaj is the team’s best goalscorer. However, he’s got only two goals. This term, Barca B haven’t been at their best in front of goal, really.
- Rey Manaj — 2 goals, 6 matches
- Arnau Comas — 1 goal, 9 matches
- Nils Mortimer — 1 goal, 6 matches
- Gerard ‘Peque’ Fernandez — 1 goal, 7 matches
- Alex Collado — 1 goal, 4 matches
- Konrad de la Fuente — 1 goal, 6 matches
Best goalkeeper
Normally, Inaki Pena is the starting goalkeeper at Barca B. However, he’s been summoned by Ronald Koeman several times this term, making him miss some of the reserves’ matches. Still, Pena remains their best-performing shot-stopper.
- Inaki Pena — 3 clean sheets, 3 conceded goals, 5 matches
- Arnau Tenas — 0 clean sheets, 2 conceded goals, 2 matches
- Lazar Carevic — 0 clean sheets, 3 conceded goals, 2 matches
Best player
Although there’s competition for this nomination, Jandro Orellana is perhaps the player that deserves it the most. Jandro has been Barca B’s most consistent player this term, even captaining Blaugrana on several occasions.
Despite being a year younger and less experienced, Orellana is already benching Oriol Busquets, who was playing top-level football at Twente last season. The 20-year-old’s style of play reminds you of Sergio Busquets. Hopefully, he’ll have more luck than Sergi Samper did.
Barcelona have already got an overbooked midfield, but considering how good Jandro has been this term, he definitely deserves a chance at least in the Copa del Rey.
Breakthrough player
Arnau Comas spent the previous season on loan at Olot and it would be a lie to say that many expected him to become an important player this term for Barca B. However, it seems like one year away from La Masia helped the centre-back mature, and Comas established himself as an undisputed starter right away.
Comas is the only one to have played full 90 minutes in all of the games this season, and he certainly deserves it. The 20-year-old is the leader of the youngsters’ defence, and those who closely follow the B side have been calling Koeman to give him a chance at the first-team for a long time now.
Summary
Barcelona B are going through a rough stage at the moment, but that’s what we should’ve expected considering that they have the youngest squad in recent years. Besides, they have been struggling with injuries. For example, B don’t have a fit right-back, with both Sergi Rosanas and Andres Solano (on loan from Atletico Madrid) being out with long-term injuries. Alvaro Sanz, who’s been covering on the right flank, is actually a defensive midfielder.
And despite that, the youngsters managed to get a few important wins this term and aren’t doing as badly in terms of results. This is, in most part, due to Javier Garcia Pimienta being a great coach. While the Catalans do have a lot of talented players at Barca B, Garcia Pimienta is the main reason why their season hasn’t been an absolute disappointment.
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