After winning the Spanish Super Cup in Jeddah, Hansi Flick made 5 changes against Betis. The German coach fielded Iñaki Peña, Kounde, Cubarsí, Araujo, Gerard Martín, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, becoming the youngest eleven of the entire season, with an average of just 23 years and 277 days.
These figures are largely explained by the absence of Barça’s three most experienced players during the Spanish Super Cup final. Szczesny was suspended, Iñigo Martinez injured and Lewandowski rested.
Even younger than the XI against Osasuna in September
So far, the youngest eleven of the season was the one presented by Hansi Flick on the Osasuna field on September 28, 2024, in a duel full of rotations in which young footballers like Lamine Yamal were also not starters . That day, Barça lost 4-2. The XI’s average was 23 years and 292 days.
-Youngest XI for 7 years
But Flick’s eleven against Betis was even younger. Since October 31, 2018, we have never seen a team with such an average age: 23 years and 277 days. At the time, it was against Cultural Leonesa, in the Copa del Rey, that the Catalans played with a team with an average age of 23 years and 173 days, namely: Cillessen, Semedo, Chumi, Jorge Cuenca , Miranda, Sergi Samper, Arturo Vidal, Denis Suárez, Malcom, Dembélé and Munir.
Another record against Betis
Oddly enough, this is not Barca’s first such record against Betis. During the La Liga match on January 21, 2024, almost a year ago, the 1984/85 season when a strike forced teams to play with youth). Xavi’s team average was 24 years and 170 days.
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