Bayern Munich Pays Tribute to Barcelona's "La Masia"

Bayern Munich has done a feature on La Masia, Barcelona's famous youth academy, ahead of their U-19 clash in the Champions League, calling it "one of the most renowned talent factories in world football."

"La Masia made its big breakthrough as a football training center under the guidance of coach Johan Cruyff, who was with the Catalans from 1988 to 1996. The Dutchman, already known for his success with youth at Ajax, quickly recognized the potential of Barça's young talents and started bringing them into the first team," says the article.

Along those lines, Bayern points out that "La Masia's philosophy is built on quick, short, and precise passing: the so-called 'Tiki-Taka' style," and, following the club’s motto 'més que un club,' it goes further by emphasizing that, in addition to technical training, the academy "puts a lot of importance on team bonding, discipline, and the personal development of the players."

"Originally set up in an old farmhouse at Camp Nou, La Masia officially moved to Barcelona’s newly opened training center, the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, on the outskirts of the city in 2011. Compared to the old spot, the new academy boasts state-of-the-art facilities and can house up to 83 young athletes," the article explains.

Bayern highlights that Barcelona's academy has produced football legends like Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi, Thiago, Carles Puyol, and Sergio Busquets, along with the recent stars Lamine Yamal, Gavi, and Pau Cubarsí. It also mentions that current Bayern academy player Adam Aznou "spent three years with the Catalans before joining the Bavarians at the start of the 2022/23 season."