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Luis Enrique’s Greatest Barcelona B: Where Are They Now?

By Nishant Narayanan

BARCELONA, SPAIN - APRIL 19: FC Barcelona Head Coach / Manager Luis Enrique holds the ball during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final second leg match between FC Barcelona and Juventus at Camp Nou on April 19, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN - APRIL 19: FC Barcelona Head Coach / Manager Luis Enrique holds the ball during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final second leg match between FC Barcelona and Juventus at Camp Nou on April 19, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images) /
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Defensive and Attacking Midfields

VALENCIA, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 02: Ruben Rochina of Levante UD tackles Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona during the Liga match between Levante UD and FC Barcelona at Ciutat de Valencia on November 02, 2019 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
VALENCIA, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 02: Ruben Rochina of Levante UD tackles Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona during the Liga match between Levante UD and FC Barcelona at Ciutat de Valencia on November 02, 2019 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) /

Oriol Romeu (Southampton FC, Defensive Midfield, 28)

Oriol debut for the first-team came in a way of a 3-1 defeat in the first leg of the team’s Spanish SuperCup 2010 fixture against Sevilla. His first league appearance was in a goalless draw against Deportivo, where Romeu came in as a substitute for fellow La Masia graduate, Jonathan dos Santos. The Arrival of Mascherano from Liverpool in 2011 led to the midfielder’s transfer to Chelsea for a fee close to five million euros. He played for the London side for 2 years but was subsequently loaned out after the departure of Andre Villas-Boas. His two-season long loan spells were with Valencia and Stuttgart respectively. He signed for Premier League’s Southampton in 2015 for seven million euros.

Rubén Rochina (Levante UD, Attacking Midfield, 28)

Rochina made 26 appearances for Barca B side before joining Premier League team Blackburn Rovers on a four-year deal in 2011. He made his league debut for the new side, in a 2-0 defeat against Everton. In the second half of the 2012 season, the midfielder was loaned out to Real Zaragoza where he made his La Liga debut against Malaga CF in a 1-1 draw. At the beginning of the 2013/14 campaign, Ruben dislocated his shoulder which led to his eventual loan spell with the Spanish side, Rayo Vallecano, but then was signed by Granada within the next six months for a four-year deal. In 2016, Rochina moved away from Spain for the second time in his career when Russian side FC Rubin Kazan triggered his 10 million euro release clause. The Spaniard returned to his homeland by joining Levante on a loan deal in 2018 which was followed by his permanent move to the club for a three-year deal.

Javier Espinosa ( FC Twente, Attacking Midfield, 27)

After 4 seasons with Barcelona B managing 101 appearances for the youth team, Espinosa signed for Villareal. Javier has struggled to find a permanent club and as a result, has played for Villarreal, Levante, Almeria, Elche, and Granada in the span of 4 seasons, with the latter three clubs being a loan spell.  In 2018, Espinosa moved abroad for the first time in his career after terminating his contract with Levante, and signing for Dutch side FC Twente.

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