"Álvaro Cortés is a player to monitor going forward. Hansi Flick looks like he's going to prioritize using the final games of this La Liga season as a tryout for next year, rather than chasing more wins and goals. That's the right call. We know that there will be a few positional areas of needs heading into the summer. A center back and a striker are right at the top of the list."
"It's hard to see a center forward emerging from the ranks of Barca Atlètic, but Cortés may have a golden opportunity in front of him to prove he can provide much needed depth defensively. The young defender is not a bright eyed teenager the way Pau Cubarsí was when he broke through to the first time from the academy. It's incredible to believe the star defender is still just 19 years old."
"Cortés is 21 years old, and the current captain of Barca Atlètic. He was an academy player at Real Zaragoza until 2021, when he moved to Barcelona, and even spent a season on loan before coming back to play for Barca's second team. We don't know what his ceiling is, but his experience and relative maturity as a player with years under his belt suggests he could be trusted to do a job as a backup, and perhaps even more."
"If Cortés can earn the trust of Flick, it frees up Deco to really focus on making an investment on the attacking end. Against Alavés, we saw more evidence that Robert Lewandowski is well past his glory days, and that Roony Bardghji may not be on the level that Barcelona requires from its rostered play makers. Going into next season, the Blaugrana may need to go to the market to find solutions."
Barcelona’s loss to Alavés contains a promising storyline in Álvaro Cortés. Hansi Flick is expected to use the remaining La Liga matches as a tryout for next season rather than solely chasing wins and goals. Barcelona faces clear summer needs, especially at center back and striker. Cortés, a 21-year-old captain of Barça Atlètic, has academy experience from Real Zaragoza and time on loan before returning to Barcelona’s second team. His maturity and experience suggest he could be trusted as a backup defender, with potential to contribute more. If he earns Flick’s trust, Deco can focus recruitment on attacking solutions, especially as Lewandowski’s form declines and Roony Bardghji may not meet the required level.
Read at Barca Blaugranes
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