Barcelona’s new head coach Hansi Flick saw teenage winger Alex Gonzalez deliver an eye-catching cameo as the Catalan club began their pre-season with a 4-1 friendly victory over Europa at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper.
The Spanish youngster came on at half-time and was involved in two of Barca’s goals, scoring one and setting up another, as he continued a rapid rise that has convinced Flick to include him in first-team preparations.
Barcelona dominated throughout against the Andorran side, using the match as their final run-out in Catalonia before travelling to England as part of their build-up to the new campaign.
Immediate impact from academy winger
According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Gonzalez’s contribution was described as “immediate”, rounding off his second week working under Flick in the best possible way.
The German coach invited the wide player to join the senior squad for pre-season after an impressive finish to the 2025-26 campaign with Barcelona’s youth sides.
Gonzalez, who operates mainly from the left, first linked up with Barcelona after signing from Damm. He made his debut under youth coach Pol Planas at the start of April and quickly became a regular starter, accelerating his promotion towards the first team.
That progress earned him his initial senior opportunities, and the club’s coaching staff were quickly convinced by his readiness once he stepped up, with the player showing from his earliest minutes that he intended to make the most of his chance.
Decisive in win over Europa
Against Europa, Gonzalez underlined that promise with two decisive contributions soon after coming on.
In the 48th minute he burst forward down the left flank before providing the assist for Ibrahima Tuncara, whose finish extended Barcelona’s lead.
Ten minutes later, Gonzalez was on the scoresheet himself. Arriving in the box to meet a pass from Toni Fernandez from the opposite wing, he calmly converted to make it 4-1 and effectively settle the contest.
Those two goals, created and scored in quick succession, proved the knockout blows in a game where the scoreline was ultimately secondary to the opportunity it presented Flick and his staff.
Window opens for La Masia prospects
With several first-team regulars unavailable due to World Cup commitments, Flick used the friendly to assess a number of La Masia prospects in a competitive setting.
The absence of senior players has allowed youngsters to train and play alongside established names such as Alejandro Balde, Fermin Lopez and Marc Bernal during the early weeks of pre-season.
For Gonzalez in particular, the session at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper marked another step in a swift ascent from academy football to the fringes of the first team, as Barcelona look to integrate more home-grown talent under their new head coach.
