Flick Promotes Barcelona 19-Year-Old Midfielder Tommy Marqués, Hopes He Fills Pedri’s Void
On his 19th birthday, Barcelona youngster Tommy Marqués trained with the first team. Over the next 4-5 weeks, Hansi Flick hopes he can fill the void left by Pedri.
At Barcelona’s training ground on Thursday, the 19-year-old was a major highlight in Flick’s training session. His emergence is particularly notable, especially with Pedri sidelined by injury. The Spanish international’s absence needs to be filled by other players, and Flick must start considering which player traits can plug that gap. Dani Olmo is set to return, Fermín is in good form (though plays more advanced), while Bernal is still adapting slowly.
Several promising talents are emerging from the reserve team: Guillamón, Tommy Marqués, Pedro Rodríguez, etc. For Marqués, this physically well-developed player has abundant stamina and presence, bringing significant balance to the midfield. He is an undisputed starter for Barça Atlètic under manager Juliano Belletti.
Marqués’ growth trajectory is extraordinary: when he first joined, he was a small but technically skilled midfielder. Before his adolescent growth spurt, he struggled with physical issues and injuries, even stopping training for a long time. This led to him being loaned to Damm in his first year with the youth team, where he transformed his physique. Upon returning to Barcelona, his status gradually rose. Last season, he was a key part of Juvenil A’s treble-winning side, regarded by Belletti as the "12th man"—a versatile option to boost the team’s stamina in the second half.
The 2025/26 season saw his ultimate breakthrough, becoming a distinctive defensive midfielder in Barcelona’s youth setup. He has strong aerial ability, mature physical development, and excellent tackling, making him an ideal partner for players like Frenkie de Jong (whom he has openly cited as one of his idols in the first team).
Notably, with Pedri out, he is fully likely to be included in the matchday squad for Sunday’s game. The club’s sports department speaks highly of him, focusing not only on the present but also his future potential. This player, with modern midfield traits, excellent physical conditions, and great game vision, is quite different from traditional holding midfielders who only play safe passes—his style has significant depth. Flick and his team have long been closely monitoring him, and he will likely continue training with the first team this Friday.
