Pau Cubarsí hasn't held back after Barça's draw against Betis. The young center-back, at just 17 years old, has said what many were thinking but no one dared to verbalize.
His words have resonated strongly: "In the first half we didn't come out as we should have," he began. "The pace was slow, even boring for the people." Just like that, without anesthesia.
It's rare to hear a youth player speak so clearly. Even more so in a locker room that often moves between diplomatic speeches and empty phrases.
Pau has broken the mold. He has pointed out specific mistakes, and that may sting within the team, but it can also be the spark they so desperately need.
No Excuses, Feet on the Ground
Cubarsí went even further. He not only criticized the level shown, but also dismantled any attempt to justify the draw with the schedule or fatigue.
"We knew we were coming with a load of matches and little rest, but that can't be an excuse. We are Barça. If we want to win everything, we have to always perform."
This type of direct and demanding speech is not common in someone so young. In fact, many veterans prefer to hide behind the context, but Cubarsí has made a strong statement. It's not enough to compete; you have to want to win always and do it from the first minute, not just in the second half.
The Message That Reaches Flick
Although Hansi Flick hasn't yet taken the reins of the team, he already knows what kind of player he will encounter. Cubarsí has shown he has a voice, personality, and ambition. In a locker room that sometimes errs on the side of complacency, that's gold.
What he said also sounds like an internal warning: "There was a lack of determination and desire, we didn't give 100%, and you can't win like that." The problem wasn't just tactical; it was mental. And those kinds of shortcomings are what worry any coach the most.
Flick wants a competitive, brave, aggressive Barça. And Cubarsí has already made it clear that he is on that path. What isn't clear is how his words will be received among teammates who didn't give that 100% he demands.
A Weighty Critique from Within
"We have to do self-criticism and win the matches, not look at the second, but look at ourselves," Pau concluded. It's a phrase that could have been said by any veteran with stripes, but no. It was said by a boy who was recently playing in the youth team, and that has a huge impact.
Cubarsí has shown that he not only has talent with his feet but also with his head. His speech is not that of a fearful young man. It's that of a leader in the making, one who demands the same as he gives: total commitment.
Perhaps, just perhaps, that fresh and critical voice is exactly what this Barça needs to believe again, compete... and win.