The academy graduates' performances for the first team in recent days suggest the issues with home-grown talent at Camp Nou may have been exaggerated
The hype wave is in constant motion. On Saturday Carles Alena was riding it, by Thursday it was Riqui Puig being championed.
But the young midfield duo have more potential than most and at Barcelona they could not be in a better place to turn promise into performances, even if the last few years have been a struggle for the club’s feted La Masia academy.
Since the golden generation - Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Carles Puyol who have left, Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets who remain - few have made it from youth level into the first team squad at Camp Nou on a regular basis.