Keeping the footballing direction
The first major decision is continuity.
Hansi Flick remains Barcelona’s coach after being named LaLiga Coach of the Season for 2025/26.
That gives the club a clear footballing direction.
Rather than starting again every year, Barcelona can continue developing the principles established under Flick.
Building around the right generation
Another important decision is identifying which players should become the foundation of the team.
Yamal is an obvious example.
Pedri is another.
The new captaincy group — Raphinha, Pedri, Eric García, Frenkie de Jong and Yamal – provides a glimpse into the leadership structure Barcelona will rely on this season.
Giving young players a pathway
Barcelona must also decide how quickly to promote young players.
La Masia can produce talent, but developing players requires patience.
Some youngsters need regular first-team minutes.
Others may need another season of development.
The club’s 2026/27 squad presentation included several young players from La Masia and Barça Atlètic, demonstrating that the pathway remains active.
Competing now while preparing for later
This is perhaps Barcelona’s biggest challenge.
The club cannot sacrifice immediate success while building for the future.
But it also cannot focus exclusively on the present.
The strongest clubs do both.
Barcelona needs to compete for trophies today while ensuring that the team remains competitive tomorrow.
That means making smart decisions about contracts, transfers, player development and squad balance.
The next test is on the pitch
Ultimately, all these decisions have to produce results.
Barcelona’s 2026/27 squad is now finalized, and the Champions League is returning to the calendar.
The next few months will therefore provide valuable evidence about whether the current project is moving in the right direction.
The future of Barça is being built now.
