The start of the 2011/12 season will be remembered among other things for the opening of La Masia: Centre de Formació Oriol Tort. The facility is the epitome of Barça’s youth system and its constant evolution. The magazine has brought together Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta, Piqué, Valdés, Messi, Cesc, Busquets, Thiago, Pedro and Fontàs, the eleven members of Guardiola’s side that played for the youth teams, in front of the new building.

The photo on the cover of BARÇA MAGAZINE portrays the football model and philosophy that is so famous around the world, and that is all based around La Masia, the residence for young sportspeople and also the symbol of a unique way of understanding football. The article, titled “The success of the basics”, explains how the training process works and has helped these players to make the grade.

Zubizarreta: “For those starting out, this image is a stimulus”

Andoni Zubizarreta, Tito Vilanova, Aureli Altimira, Guillermo Amor, Fran Sánchez and Carles Folguera all give their opinions of what the establishment has done for youth footballers. FC Barcelona’s technical director analyses the photo and concludes that “I get the feeling that they are proud to be in front of the new Masia. Happy. I am sure that they have felt a series of emotions. They know how difficult it is to make it to the top. And for those starting out, this image is a stimulus. They know it is possible for their dreams to come true, but that there is a lot of work and effort that goes into it. The photo is the direct consequence of a policy that dates back 20 years and also shows the historic moment when the new centre was opened”.

Tito Vilanova, Pep Guardiola’s assistant, is impressed by the competitive spirit that reigns among this group of players. Unlike in the past, it is the local players that are taking centre stage. “If we look at our competitors, we find they often only have one or two players that came out of their own youth systems, but we often have seven or eight”, says a man who remembered being at la Masia along with Guardiola and current physio Aureli Altimira when he was an adolescent: “We knew then that some youth players did make it into the first team, but what we never imagined was what we have now, and that is the situation that the biggest stars also came from here”.

The report also seeks the opinion of Louis van Gaal, who promoted Xavi, Valdés, Puyol and Iniesta to the first team. “They protect the club’s culture and its natural commitment. They have been educated with the same philosophy and now everybody is enjoying Barça’s football. Guardiola also grew up with the same model. Everyone feels proud of FC Barcelona, and they are different from other clubs because they have worked with the youth team with a similar style of play for such a long time, and that has never changed.”

Report on Marcelinho Huertas

As well as La Masia, BARÇA MAGAZINE, which members will be receiving next week, also includes a report about the latest Barça Regal signing, Marcelinho Huertas. The Brazilian guard is a football lover, and is ambitious about now being at Barça. This edition also includes a complete transcription of Josep Guardiola’s speech when receiving the Parliament’s Gold Medal. The magazine also looks back at the club’s 109 titles and interviews singer Gerard Quintana, among other subjects.