Who is Marc Casado? The latest La Masia graduate bossing Barcelona's midfield

Marc Casado's star continues to rise. Another La Masia graduate who has found his way to the international stage, the 21-year-old made his Spain debut against Denmark earlier this month, coming off the bench as his side won 2-1 in the UEFA Nations League.

Casado is cut from a different cloth. If you want an indication of what the midfielder is all about, the words of his La Roja teammate, Bryan Zaragoza, summarise it pretty well. "He’s an animal. I don’t even know what to say about how he played. He's barbaric." Yeremo Pino, meanwhile, said: "He's a machine. He's given a recital, he's already shown his quality at Barca and now he's done it with the national team."

It's not often we see youngsters with such tenacity, but Casado represents a re-emergence of the old school. 

Where did Casado start out? 

Born in Barcelona, Casado began his career with local clubs before joining the revered academy at 13 years old. He was promoted to Barcelona Atletic in 2022. In November of that year, he made his senior debut in a Champions League match against Viktoria Plzen, where he replaced the injured Franck Kessie.  

Last season, he was named the Barcelona Atletic captain. However his talent shone through and he started to train with the first team. He made his La Liga debut against Atletico Madrid in March. This term has been something of a breakout season for Casado. Hansi Flick has used him as his go-to No.6 in a double pivot, allowing him to register 1,305 minutes of action so far.  

How much is Casado worth? 

According to FootballTransfers' Estimated Transfer Value algorithms (ETV), Casado is worth €8.7m. It may seem a touch low, but his value has already risen dramatically, jumping from €3m in less than a year.  

He is contracted to Barcelona to June 2028 and has a substantial €100m release clause inserted in his contract. 

How good is Casado? 

Casado was always well-regarded at La Masia, though he did not tear down any houses during his time there. Indeed, nothing like former students Lionel Messi or Andres Iniesta, but he still impressed those around him. Rafa Maquez, the then-Barcelona Atletic head coach, was a big fan in particular. Xavi also spoke highly of him, though he didn’t give him much playing time early on when the youngster finally made the first team.  

When this season's opener against Valencia came, Casado started, but he didn't enjoy a good game. He was rushed in possession and didn't appear entirely confident. By the second game, Pedri had taken over the starting spot. At this point, it seemed Casado was destined for a season on the bench. 

But then Marc Bernal got injured and he found his place back in the side. Casado has stepped up and delivered performances of staggering consistency. Despite his smaller frame, he has robust tenacity. He’s fearless in the tackle and appears to be at full throttle for almost every game. 

What sets him apart is his intelligence on the ball. He rarely loses possession, and while his passing is generally simple and effective, he’s also capable of spectacular moments - typically a long-range assist that feeds in the inside forwards in Flick's 4-2-3-1 system. 

What is Casado's WhoScored rating? 

Playing as a defensive midfielder, Casado yields a WhoScored rating of 7.08. Further forward, as the No.8, he is slightly weaker, with a rating of 6.86.  

Among his strengths are 'passes', 'key passes', and 'blocking the ball'. Elsewhere he makes an average of three successful tackles out of 4.1 attempted per 90 minutes. His discipline still needs to be worked on, as does his aerial duels.  

It's thought that his performances have been so strong that Barcelona no longer feel the need to sign a defensive midfielder. With Pedri and Gavi ahead of him and Casado backing them up, the midfield looks well-stocked. Frenkie de Jong, for all his quality, suddenly feels surplus to requirements, despite being the club's highest earner. Injuries have plagued the Dutchman, and his future could lie elsewhere. 

Barcelona’s academy has a habit of surprising people with their youth development, and while Casado may not be the most technically gifted, his uniqueness sets him apart from the rest.

This article was provided by FootballTransfers