A different ball game
Some 24 km north of La Masaa, the other Barcelona club, RCD Espanyol, run their youth academy at Ciutat Esportiva Dani Jarque. At age 26, in 2009, Jargue died of a heart attack during the team’s pre-season. He had been named club captain for the 2009-10
La Liga season.
Having played all his life at the B-club in Cataluña, Jarque signified everything that Espanyol stand for. A passionate youth, rising through the ranks, growing through the academy, and into the first team, is the very motto of this club. At times, La Masia graduates have to fight off big-money acquisitions because that is how football business is run nowadays. Patience is their watchword and virtue. But in comparison, the graduates at a neighbouring club — albeit poor in finances and major trophies — are richer in first-team chances.
This club, owned by Chinese conglomerate Rastar Managerial Group since January 2016, is governed by two key principles of compromise and viability. First, they are satisfied with not competing for big competitions (Espanyol’s last major European success came in 2006-07 when they lost the Europa Cup final to La Liga rivals Sevilla FC). Instead, they focus their attention on working this football factory seamlessly. And second, if a big club does come calling, they will not stand in the way of their players exiting.
Espanyol’s current objective: they want to field a complete first-team of academy products in the 202021 season, and they are about half way to achieving this mark. That may seem like a low percentage and a long target. But look at their youth results, and the endgame becomes easier. Espanyol’s youth teams together have won 24 out of 37 trophies in local and national leagues in the past three seasons, an astounding success considering FC Barcelona’s muscle in the region.