La Masia 2.0: inside the reboot of football’s most famous academy

For the last two years Xavi Martin has worked day and night, plotting the overhaul of Barcelona’s famous academy, La Masia. From the players’ sleeping arrangements to the decor around the canteen, no stone has been left unturned. It’s the single biggest project of his working life.

And through it all, one moment in Barcelona’s recent history has provided inspiration.

It came back in November 2012, when Tito Vilanova’s team travelled to Levante’s Ciutat de Valencia stadium for a league match. In the 12th minute, an injured Dani Alves was replaced by Martin Montoya. For the next hour, Barca played with11 academy graduates on the field.

“That’s the dream,” Martin says. “To once again have 11 players from La Masia on the pitch. This isn’t about producing another group of the calibre of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Cesc…it’s about producing players with the Barca identity.

“When a player makes his debut, if they’ve been through , it’s not the same as if they