FC Barcelona is feeling strong heading into the Clásico after a famous victory engineered by a foreign coach who guided a group of youngsters and youth players – oh, and a superstar striker many thought was over the top – to perfection .

La Masia is the most famous academy in world football, and for good reason. A large proportion of FC Barcelona’s players in their 4-1 victory over FC Bayern Munich were academy graduates, even if they took different paths after their football training.

Not all Barcelona youngsters are academy products, and not all their academy products are in their early twenties. But there is considerable overlap. Let’s talk about the young players who give Barcelona fans a reason to believe.

Let’s start with Pau Cubarsí and Lamine Yamal, both 17. The level they have shown at that age is absolutely ridiculous for their age. It’s crazy to have a defender starting and performing well in high-profile UEFA Champions League matches. And for Yamal to be a crucial player in a side that won the UEFA European Championship in 16-on-17 is simply unheard of. It’s just a shame that Marc Bernal, also 17, is currently injured.

Moving on, we have a pair of 18 and 19-year-olds who have a future but haven’t yet established themselves as key first-team figures: Héctor Fort and Sergi Domínguez. There are other B team players around too, but they stand out because they have played for the first team this season.

Then there is Gavi. Gavi returned from a serious injury and was a key figure for Barcelona and the Spanish national team. He’s still 20 and has his whole career ahead of him. It will take some time for him to rediscover his form, but hopefully he can pick up where he left off.

There’s something about 21-year-olds on this team. There are no fewer than six, starting with Pedri. Not a graduate of Barcelona’s academy, but a major coup by the club’s scouts. He is quickly becoming one of the symbols of the club, and he still has so many years left.

Another 21-year-old who deserves a special mention is Marc Casadó. Everyone knew the boy was wild, but no one knew how special he was. He was thrust into the spotlight after an injury crisis and he has responded impeccably.

Ansu Fati is trying to restart his career after persistent injuries short-circuited what seemed like a legend in the making. He is only 21 and there is still hope that he can make progress after the setbacks.

Alejandro Balde is also 21 and is also returning from an injury-plagued season. He has all the tools to succeed, but he’s not quite there yet. Again, we have to be patient with these children.

Fermín López is back after an injury, albeit not as serious as the previous two cases. He is a player who has seemingly come out of nowhere and become a key figure in the first team. He works hard, takes risks and loves to shoot.

Finally in the 21 year old category, Pablo Torre. As an attacking midfielder, Torre has had limited opportunities so far, but his efforts cannot be faulted. He scored twice in his last substitute appearance.

After that, the team has many players in their 20s, most notably Jules Koundé and Ronald Araújo, both 25; Dani Olmo, 26; and Frenkie de Jong and Raphinha, 27.

Surprisingly, the team only has two veterans over 30 getting minutes: Iñigo Martínez and Robert Lewandowski. But they deserve their place, to say the least. Martínez was a key player after the injury of Araújo and an injury to another defender, Andreas Christensen. It was initially thought that Martínez would not be needed, but that has not been the case.

Then you have Lewandowski. At 36 years old, he is 15 to 20 years older than the young players in the team. But that only makes it more essential. He is scoring goals left and right and also playing many of the minutes on offer, meaning his fitness should be exceptional considering his age.

Of course you can’t forget the boss. Hansi Flick may be a foreign coach, but he has shown that he understands Barcelona perfectly. Credit also goes to Xavi, who gave many of these young players their debut or breakthrough. But it’s Flick who’s calling the shots now, and he’s done a fantastic job so far.

The future looks bright, but so does the present. And that is a relief for the club as their next match is a crucial match against Real Madrid.