Pablo Barrios, a pearl in the name of his mother Elena

UNDER RECORD

• LUCAS SAEZ-BRAVO

  @LucasSaezBravo

  Madrid

Updated Sunday, January 8, 2023-01:37

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• Copa Barrios has a gift

When in the summer of 2017 one of the great pearls of the Real Madrid youth academy, then captain of the second-year infant team, was strangely free, all the radars of the Atlético de Madrid Academy turned on as if a UFO had invaded their space aerial.

Almost six years later, that little blond boy is the great support of the rojiblanco future.

(Madrid, 2003), the fashionable boy, an irruption in the first team like nobody remembered, a beautiful flower and

n the most critical period of the era

.

Those days, there were even calls between clubs to make sure that what was happening was true, that, indeed, Barrios no longer counted in the plans of the Factory.

«He surprised us, we had been following him since he played for Moratalaz.

But then there was a non-aggression pact with the homegrown players [it was broken this last summer, when

went from Atlético to Madrid].

They told us that they did not see development, "confess sources from the rojiblanca quarry, without going into more detail about what happened.

That they speak of a "particular story", because of the way in which Barrios landed at the club and how, thanks to an overwhelming personality, he became important until burning stages as the chosen ones: in six months he has jumped from the youth of

to ownership with Simeone, passing fleetingly through the subsidiary of

.

The boy from Moratalaz, who on Tuesday closed the round of 16 round of the Cup with a left-footed shot at the Tartiere to complete the triangulation that he himself started with

, his second goal in three games under Cholo's command, had started playing as a center-back dressed in white.

Over time and driven by one of the great virtues of his repertoire, the shot on goal, he has been advancing his position.

Going through the midfielder, he finds more and more accommodation as an interior player or even a midfielder.

«He has a promising future.

He excites us.

It has been a long time since a player from the quarry with this level has come, »said Simeone, little friend of giving ears or triggering expectations.

But the Argentinian has ended up surrendering to Pablo, whom he already fell in love with last year, although it wasn't until a couple of months ago that he included him in training with the first team.

"Doesn't wrinkle"

There are several reasons that explain why Pablo Barrios is now the moment, that the stars have lined up so that his talent bursts forth to the point of aiming for ownership tonight at the Metropolitano to receive Barça.

Unlike other homegrown players, his arrival at training sessions with the first team has not been sparring or to fill in sessions.

Since he became a regular, he did it as if he were one of them.

This is how Simeone wanted it, carefully guarding each step of the boy, of whom he especially values ​​his personality, his silent leadership, his sacrifice and, above all, his "contagious energy".

"He has talent, but he doesn't wrinkle," the technician admits to those close to him.

And that's why Cholo launches public messages in favor of his pearl,

Barrios, after scoring in Ovierdo.

eloy alonso

EFE

Another circumstance has postponed the great leap of a talent who will be 20 years old on June 15.

Last season was really special for Pablo.

Professionally, he commanding the historic youth team of Fernando Torres and

who qualified for the Final Four of the Youth League, and personally.

Because life put the biggest stone in the middle of the road.

A mother's illness.

Tormented by her insomnia problems, Elena went to the hospital.

They detected a rare disease that was going to kill her at cruel speed.

In September 2021, before she was admitted to the hospital, she was able to see her son Pablo de ella for the last time from the stands that she never missed in a league derby against Real Madrid.

52 days later, in November, she passed away.

Soccer served to not think.

The ball and the studies were the handle of Pablo.

And the family.

, former Moscardó player in the 90s.

, former gymnast and now national coach.

“It was a difficult stage for him.

They tucked him in.

He is a reserved, silent boy.

He showed us a unique personality.

He is a leader », they admit from the Academy.

Because shortly after, in March, his first claim to fame and headlines would arrive.

Two great goals in Valdebebas, a dazzling display against his former team, in the Youth League.

34 kilometers per hour

"The important thing is the humility he has," Simeone also highlighted of a boy whom he made his debut at the end of October in Cádiz.

That he started for the first time in the Cup against Arenteiro, as a paradigm of the new stage to be inaugurated after the World Cup, in that attempt to forget the European hardships, that the remainder of the course also have some illusion for the mattress parish.

The much-mentioned Cup, which yesterday led to a round of 16 match against Levante, and a minimal re-engagement in the League, for which it is obligatory to defeat Barça tonight without

.

For Cholo, Barrios is one of the sparks that must spread to the rest.

Barrios, during a training session in Majahadonda.

atleticodemadrid.com

Atleticodemadrid.com/EFE

The technical reports handled by the club speak of a "differential player in the ability to generate high-intensity actions, as well as being able to maintain a high running pace throughout the course of the match."

Over time, Pablo, who continues to work on his physical development, has been improving his explosiveness: "He is capable of registering maximum speed peaks above 34 km / h."

"His profile of him as a player is that of a midfielder who covers a lot of ground and a lot of speed," they conclude.

He, who continues to take refuge in his youth teammates in training, but who transforms his shyness when he takes the field, does not neglect his training either.

After he passed through the Sagrada Familia de Moratalaz school and completed his studies, he has now started a Higher Degree in Nutrition.

It was renewed until June 2025 and has a clause of 40 million euros.

At the moment with the 34 on his back, he had the honor of being the 40th squad player that Simeone made his debut -the club's idea is that he does not have to go out on loan, like the last youngsters-, who yesterday did not want to reveal if he will start: «The personality of each one comes from the confidence of each player.

There will be no talk if he has to play ».

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