"Get out of here, you cost us too much" - Gerard Pique jokes with Ousmane Dembele following Barcelona's Copa del Rey triumph
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique turned heads after the Blaugrana's Copa del Rey triumph on Sunday, when he jokingly pushed Ousmane Dembele out of a picture with the trophy and former members of La Masia - Barcelona's youth team.
"Get out of here, you costed us too much," Pique said.
In the picture were Sergio Busquets, Sergi Roberto, Jordi Alba, Ansu Fati, Ronald Araujo, Riqui Puig, Ilaix Moriba, and Arnau Tenas - all of whom made it into the Barcelona senior team from La Masia.
Manager Ronald Koeman has relied heavily on the younger players of the squad this season, after the Blaugrana got off to a sticky start this campaign. The Dutch manager has given plenty of opportunities to the likes of Ronald Araujo and Ilaix Moriba. Ansu Fati, Pedri, and Oscar Mingueza have also all become important members of the team.
The Spanish giants got their hands on a first trophy since the 2018/19 La Liga title on Sunday, as they defeated Athletic Bilbao 4-0 in the Copa del Rey final. Both Mingueza and Pedri started the game, while Araujo and Moriba came off the bench.
Ousmane Dembele and other big money signings are yet to fire for Barcelona
Ousmane Dembele made waves across the world after he completed a whopping €135 million move from Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona in 2017. However, the Frenchman is yet to prove his worth significantly in the blue and red of Barcelona.
The 23-year-old has now played under three different managers, making 49 goal contributions in 112 appearances. He is yet to, however, find a starting role in the Blaugrana squad.
After Dembele, Barcelona also signed Philippe Coutinho in January 2018. Coutinho moved from Liverpool to the Nou Camp for a that could rise to €165 million. Despite making 37 goal contributions in 90 appearances, the Brazilian is yet to make his mark with the Bluagrana, and was even shipped out on loan to Bayern Munich in 2019.
Antoine Griezmann is the last of Barcelona's multi-million euro transfers, and perhaps also the most successful. After spending several impressive seasons at Atletico Madrid and winning the World Cup with France, Griezmann moved to Barcelona for a €120 million transfer fee in 2019, and has played a significant role for the Bluagrana since.
His 30 goals and 15 assists have been crucial for the team at times. However, the Frenchman has failed to have the galvanizing impact that many thought he may have on Barcelona, and has failed to formulate a significant partnership with talisman Lionel Messi.
With financial trouble mounting at the Nou Camp and a lucrative new deal imminent for Lionel Messi, Barcelona will be looking to make more prudent decisions in the transfer market to find success with a promising new generation of players.