Barcelona debuts teenage phenom in 6-1 Champions League victory

A rapid rise

Fernandez joined Barcelona's famed La Masia academy in 2022 when he was just 14. In one year, he was starting for the club's U16 team; in two, he was winning the UEFA Youth League outright; in three, he was embedded within Barcelona's senior squad alongside the likes of Yamal, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski.

Young players often lack the physical presence to succeed within a senior men's team, but Fernandez's eye-popping on-the-ball skill got him through. 

“In terms of talent, especially in the last third of the pitch, he is off the charts. He’s among the best I’ve ever seen," said Fernandez's youth coach Javier Lago, per The Athletic's Pol Ballus. "I’ve managed Thiago and Rafinha Alcantara, seen Rodrigo Moreno… well, Dro [Fernandez] is around that level for sure.”

Immediate impact

Fernandez made his Barcelona senior team debut during the team's 2025-26 summer preseason in Asia. He played in a friendly against Japanese side Vissel Kobe and scored a rocket of a goal to mark the occasion. 

"I came in a bit nervous, the first time with the best club in the world, but then the ball came to my feet on the edge of the box and I gave it a go," Fernandez said after the match. "I didn’t even know how to celebrate, to be honest."

A much-needed archetype

Fernandez is full of skill and potential, but he stands out among Barcelona's young stars thanks to something else entirely: his versatility. Opponents know precisely what they'll get from players like Yamal (blistering speed, dainty footwork, precision shooting) and Pedri (space awareness, control in tight quarters, visionary passing.) They're in the dark with Fernandez. He's just as comfortable being a pass-finding central midfielder as he is being free-flowing winger on the left side of the field. He can even drop in as a playmaking No. 10 if the situation calls for it.

That kind of versatility at a high level is rare in a player of Fernandez's age, and it's incredibly valuable for a team like Barcelona that's competing on multiple fronts. Fernandez can plug into different roles across the field to help Barcelona's overworked stars get some much-needed rest. That's why he appeared in this Champions League fixture against Olympiacos in the first place: Coach Hansi Flick, with one eye on Sunday's El Clasico against Real Madrid, used Fernandez to keep his regular starters fresh.

"It’s great to have these kinds of players to be able to manage minutes," Flick said. "This is what we need because we have a lot of games.”

Fernandez may be a plug-and-play utility man now, but if he continues performing at this level, he'll be a regular starter in no time. Barcelona is incredibly lucky to have him.

Fernandez and Barcelona will continue their 2025-26 season on Sunday, Oct. 26 against Real Madrid at 11:15 a.m. ET.