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“He’s a kid who’s had to work incredibly hard; he was a dark horse. He wasn’t like Gavi or Lamine Yamal, who were practically stars from a young age, but he’s worked extremely hard for it,” he explained.

”He personally influenced me as a coach. Sometimes we’ve had very good players, but without a connection. On the other hand, with players like Cubarsí or Espart, you feel very proud. The goal of everyone at La Masia is precisely for the youngsters to reach the first team.

“He’s always defended well, even though he was short at La Masia, he already did very well. Now he plays exactly the same as he did six or seven years ago, but against players of a higher calibre

“I’m sold. Espart has great stats, and although he plays very well at full-back, he’s really most comfortable in midfield.”