Barça Atlètic Kicks Off New Season Under Juliano Belletti with Major Squad Changes

Barça Atlètic, FC Barcelona’s reserve team, has officially commenced its 2026/27 season under head coach Juliano Belletti, marking his second year at the helm. The team is undergoing a significant overhaul, with a substantially different squad from the previous campaign, as many players have either been promoted, transferred, or are currently training with the senior team. This initial phase of pre-season will see the reserve squad without several key players who are participating in the first team’s pre-season under Hansi Flick.

The immediate focus for Barça Atlètic is to integrate new talent and prepare for a challenging season in a new competitive group. The primary goal remains to develop players for the senior squad while pushing for promotion back to the Primera Federación.

Key Squad Changes and New Arrivals

The club has confirmed five new signings to bolster the squad. These additions include Javi Castro (18) and Josué Caicedo (18) for defence, Juan Ybarra (22) and Joni Hernández (18) from Tenerife for the midfield, and Ignasi Quer (22) to strengthen the attack. Additionally, Patricio Pacífico (20) and Aziz Issah (20) will continue their loan spells, though Pacífico is not expected to join until later in the season.

A minimum of seven players from the U19 (Juvenil A) squad are set to be promoted, including the entire 2007 generation: Max Bonfill, Àlex Campos, Hafiz Gariba, Onstein, Dani Ávila, Shane Kluivert, and Álex González. Hamza Abdelkarim is also expected to join them. Further promotions are possible as the squad finalises, depending on the needs of the first team.

Departures and First Team Call-Ups

Eight players have confirmed their departures from Barça Atlètic: Kochen, Emilio Bernad, Astralaga, Cuenca, Ureña, Delgado, Barberá, and Dani Rodríguez. Several other players, including Brian Fariñas, Xavi Espart, and Álvaro Cortés, who were expected to leave, are currently participating in the first team’s pre-season. Jofre Torrents, Toni Fernández, and Guille Fernández are also unlikely to return to the reserve team.

This extensive movement highlights Barça Atlètic’s role as a feeder team for the senior squad, with a clear pathway for promising young talents. The current pre-season with the first team includes 16 players from the academy, showcasing Hansi Flick’s willingness to assess young prospects.

Pre-Season Schedule and Competitive Outlook

The team will train at Ciutat Esportiva until August 2nd before moving to Vall d’en Bas for a training camp, where they will play their first two friendlies against UE Tona and Girona B. Further matches are scheduled against Hospitalet on August 15th and Europa on August 19th.

Notably, Barça Atlètic will compete in a new group this season, moving from Group 3 to Group 2. This shift means they will face teams from La Rioja, Aragon, and Navarre, a change from the previous opponents from the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community. This new competitive environment will present fresh challenges as they aim to achieve promotion.

Key facts:

The ongoing squad adjustments reflect Barcelona’s commitment to nurturing young talent through La Masia and Barça Atlètic. The success of this season will depend on how quickly the new and promoted players integrate and perform under Belletti’s guidance, with the ultimate goal of supporting the first team and achieving competitive success.

Source: Mundo Deportivo Futbol, https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/fc-barcelona/20260720/1004208126/arranca-barca-atletic-2-0-belletti.html