La Masia moment — and a sting
La Masia scorer David Moreno hit a solo goal for Infantil A this week, a neat reminder of Barcelona’s youth productivity — but the club also faced a darker moment as Lamine Yamal skipped the customary victory lap after racist anti‑Muslim chants during the Spain‑Egypt match caused upset. (Social briefing: Moreno goal; Yamal incident) (x.com 1) (x.com 2).
At the MICFootball youth tournament on the Costa Brava, 13‑year‑old David Moreno — a left‑footed attacking midfielder from Barcelona’s academy — produced a solo run and chipped finish as Barça’s U14s beat PSI Soccer Academy heavily; the game finished in a lop‑sided scoreline that organisers reported as 16–0. (sport.es) (mundodeportivo.com) Moreno is already being singled out inside La Masia after arriving from Levante’s youth setup and spending the 2023–24 season at Barça’s academy; local coverage says he was born in Benifaió in 2012 and this is his first full campaign at the Infantil level. (cronicaglobal.elespanol.com) The MIC is one of Europe’s biggest youth showcases — an international Easter tournament where scouts and academies watch dozens of age‑group games over a week — which helps explain why a single spectacular goal can quickly raise a player’s profile among clubs and media. (micfootball.com) (mundodeportivo.com) On the same week in Barcelona, Spain’s 0–0 friendly with Egypt at Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium (March 31, 2026) was overshadowed by repeated anti‑Muslim chants from sections of the crowd; footage and match reporting show the chant “who doesn’t jump is a Muslim” and local police (the Mossos d’Esquadra) have opened an investigation. (usnews.com) (aljazeera.com) Barcelona and Spain winger Lamine Yamal, who is Muslim, did not join Spain’s post‑match lap of honour and publicly called the chanting “disrespectful and intolerable” in an Instagram post that said using religion as a joke in a stadium was “ignorant and racist.” (football-espana.net) (espn.com) The political and governing response came quickly: Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente, the Spanish Football Federation and Spain’s justice minister publicly condemned the chants, stadium screens displayed anti‑discrimination messages during the match, and FIFA said it would review match reports — all standard steps that can lead to disciplinary measures if the governing bodies find host‑fan misconduct. (reuters.com) (espn.com)
