Lewandowski questioned Pau Cubarsí's age after his debut

Pau Cubarsí says Robert Lewandowski asked if he was really 17 after the teenager’s rapid promotion to Barcelona’s first team. Cubarsí made his official debut in January 2024 in a Copa del Rey match days before his 17th birthday and then started a La Liga game three days later, prompting the amused reaction from the Polish striker.

He also revealed the dressing-room banter that follows life at Camp Nou, especially when fellow prodigy Lamine Yamal gets the better of him in training. Cubarsí recalled a one-on-one session where Yamal dribbled past him, he slipped and ended up on the ground, and then endured a week of teasing — though he pointed out that, in that session, Yamal ‘‘shot...

straight at me!’’ A nasty cut to the face in a Champions League game against Red Star Belgrade forced Cubarsí to wear protective headgear for a subsequent match, a look that teammates quickly lampooned. ‘‘To be able to play against Real Sociedad a few days later, I had to use a protective helmet that made me look like a McDonald’s employee.

Spain, Barcelona

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