Marc Casadó (Sant Pere de Vilamajor, 2003) liked all sports. In his hometown of just 6,000 inhabitants, he flirted above all with handball. But he liked having the ball at his feet more than holding it. And he moved on to football. At 21 years old he has become the pillar of Hansi Flick’s Barça midfield. His friend and colleague Alejandro Balde began to call him Kimmich of Barça because he can alternate the positions of right back and midfielder. Now everyone calls him that. His story is a journey full of effort, some disappointment, many kilometers and an environment that always helps him maintain that balance.
Casadó arrived at Barça when he was 13 years old
When Casadó left handball to opt for football, he played one year for Sant Celoni, three years for Granollers and one for Damm. In 2016 Barça arrived. “I was 13 years old. We loved how he moved, his positioning and the sense he had of space and time,” he recalls. The Vanguard Jordi Roura, one of those responsible for his signing along with Aureli Altimira, also grassroots football coordinator at the time. “We scheduled a friendly in the sports city between the Damm and Barça children,” adds Altimira, who was in charge of communicating the news to his parents, Albert and Anna. “It was in the locker room area of Barça’s field 8. They were very happy. They told me that Valencia had noticed him and that they had gone to visit the facilities but that obviously they wouldn’t think about it. “They are very culés,” he recalls.
“Valencia wanted him and we organized a friendly against Damm to sign him.”
Casadó went to the Masia with the club’s taxi service from his native Sant Pere de Vilamajor. He was discreet on those journeys. Same as now. He avoids trends, he doesn’t like to attract attention and his parents and his sister Laura are his main support. Every time he can, Casadó, who lives in Barcelona, escapes to his town to gain momentum.
I was 13 years old. We loved how it moved, its placement and the sense it had of space and time
At La Masia he already demonstrated a great ability to understand positional play. “A great midfielder is one who understands that the objective is to progress. Sometimes with a ball. Other times it is necessary to generate the rival to mark you so that the interiors receive the ball and advance”, explains Carles Martínez, current coach of Toulouse FC and his first coach in the Infantil A. “But despite his talent, he was not robust or tall. . We would be lying if we said that he was on the list of those designated for the first team,” recalls Altimira.
A great midfielder is one who understands that the objective is to progress. Sometimes with a ball. Other times you have to generate the opponent to mark you so that the interiors receive the ball and advance.”
It happens that in every story there are turning points. For Casadó, one of them was in Sergi Milà’s Cadete B. “There he began to show that maturity can be more important than physical appearance,” they say from the club. “And that intelligence saved him completely when he arrived at Juvenil B. That is the most difficult moment for all the youth players,” adds Franc Artiga, a coach who coached Casadó at the beginning of his youth stage and who now coaches the Russian FK Khimki. . “He was not physically or technically spectacular. But he was a tactical leader. Your extension in the field,” he adds.
He was neither physically nor technically spectacular. But he was a tactical leader. Your extension in the field
In the 2021-22 season, Casadó was the captain of the Juvenil A team that won the League and the Champions Cup, thus achieving his first and only double at Barça to date. It was at that time when, under the direction of technician Òscar López, he began to become familiar with video rooms. “We reviewed more tactical plays with him. He already mastered the position perfectly,” López recalls.
We reviewed more tactical plays with him. He already mastered the position perfectly.
Today, thanks to those sessions, Casadó is one of the players who takes the most advantage of video lessons with Flick. The German coach, aware that the players can get lost if the sessions are very long, has asked that they be played on the screens of the sports city. With Casadó it is very calm.
Marc Casadó controls a ball in the presence of the blue and white Romero
Rafa Márquez, former Barça Atlètic coach who made his debut in the 2022-23 season, was also there. That year Casadó was promoted to the subsidiary. He played 36 games. “If Marc was not there, the team was different,” remembers Márquez, who has settled in Mexico City after leaving Barça to become the assistant coach of the Mexico coach, Javier Aguirre. Márquez attends this newspaper with the desire to praise the man who was his captain. “It was already clear that if Casadó played surrounded by talent, he was going to be a great pivot. But personally I did not expect it to evolve so quickly,” confesses the Mexican.
“He had offers and doubts but I and Flick spoke with him in the summer to keep him going,” says Rafa Márquez, former Barça Atlètic coach.
Márquez, as Artiga already tried in the first months of his youth, wanted to play him at right back at times. Just like Kimmich at Bayern. “He defended well and when it was time to attack, he occupied the double pivot position,” he analyzes.
“If I am where I am it is largely thanks to Rafa Márquez. He gave me confidence at all times and made me a better person and player,” Casadó highlighted after Barcelona’s win against Bayern Munich. Márquez responds: “I appreciate it. He told him and the rest that they had never been so close to success. But we had to work like never before.” Beyond Márquez, Toni Hernández, current coordinator of Barça’s grassroots football, has also been important. He was a key piece two summers ago in preventing him from leaving for Granada, a First Division team, and deciding to continue in the 1st RFEF. He is your advisor. Your confidant.
Rafa Márquez, former subsidiary coach
Led by Xavi Hernández, Casadó made his official debut in the first team in the 22-23 season in the Champions League against Viktoria Pilsen. But in the League he was left on the bench 24 times. At the 25th it was the charm in the victory against Atlético (0-3) at the Metropolitano. Xavi had Gündogan on that team and there was also the resource of Christensen. He did not give him all the prominence that Casadó expected because he did not burden him with the responsibility of replacing Busquets. In training he did give him several guidelines so that he dared to avoid lateral passes and progress more.
In a team with Gündogan and Christensen
Xavi did not give him all the prominence that Casadó expected because he did not burden him with the responsibility of replacing Busquets.
When the first team’s games were over, Casadó would take a car, a plane or a bus to concentrate with his teammates from the reserve team. He was accompanied by Joan Soler, the director responsible for grassroots football. “I came back discouraged because I didn’t have opportunities,” recalls Márquez. “Between Albert Sánchez (current reserve team coach) and I spoke with the first team to anticipate. If the trip jeopardized his rest, he ruled him out. Still, he was trying to change my opinion. It was difficult for me not to count on him,” recalls the Mexican. With this situation, last year Casadó played 30 games with the reserve team.
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In summer Casadó spoke with Xavi. The former technician told him not to leave, that he was counting on him. That it had projection. After his dismissal, Flick arrived. “He came to see some of the reserve team’s training sessions and spoke to me to ask my opinion about the players. Obviously I told him about Casadó, who at that time had offers and also doubts. Flick spoke to him and told him to stay. I also insisted on it,” says Márquez.
Flick came to see some of the reserve team’s training sessions and spoke to me to ask my opinion about the players. I told him about Casadó”
The rest is history. Casadó shone on the American tour alongside Bernal, whom he misses. He renewed until 2028 with a first team contract. He has eight starts in 12 League games. And another four in the Champions League. And, for the first time, he has been called up for the senior Spanish team. “His performance is sensational. It’s Casadó and it’s the Masia,” Flick always says.
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