No way, bro! Young prodigy Dro leaves Barca as Flick draws the line and sends a powerful message

Barcelona travel to San Sebastian this Sunday night to face Real Sociedad, but football has taken a back seat at Camp Nou. The real story of the week is not La Liga points - it is the imminent exit Pedro Fernandez Sarmiento - also known as simply - Dro, one of the brightest products of La Masia in recent years.

Earlier this week, the 18-year-old midfielder informed the club of his decision to leave. Paris Saint-Germain are currently the frontrunners, with Chelsea (of course) also closely monitoring the situation. Fernandez is expected to activate his €6 million release clause, a figure that already feels symbolic rather than reflective of his talent.

Asked about the situation, Hansi Flick did not hide his irritation - even if he carefully chose his words.

"I will speak when this has already happened. Now is not the time," the German coach said.

"As a coach, you give confidence to players. You try to help them grow. But there are people around them. Sometimes things happen in football. You may not agree, but they are adults."

It was a measured response, but the subtext was clear. Flick feels the loss, and he feels it deeply.

Beyond Fernandez, Flick used the moment to send a broader message to the dozens of young talents knocking on the first-team door.

"They are in one of the best teams in the world. It is not easy to get minutes," he said. "But every training session makes you better. When a player deserves to play, he plays. That is the process."

What has truly angered sections of the fanbase is not just Fernandez's departure, but who stands behind it.

Dro shares an agent, Ivan de la Pena, with Gavi and Eric Garcia. The former Barca midfielder, once a massive talent who controversially joined Espanyol in 2002, was already criticised for complicating Gavi's renewal in 2022. Now, his name has resurfaced at the centre of another painful exit.

Calls are growing for Barcelona to limit agent influence within La Masia, fearing that talent development alone is no longer enough to protect prodigies.

When it comes to Fernandez himself, his rise was meteoric. Flick spotted him during pre-season, included him on the Asian tour, and quickly made him part of the first-team dynamic. He debuted aged 17, played in the Champions League, and even registered an assist in the 6-1 home win over Olympiacos in October 2025.

Yet opportunities remained scarce. He made five appearances and two starts due to fierce competition.

Fernandez's case exposes the cruel paradox of Barcelona's iconic academy - La Masia keeps producing elite talent, but perhaps too much of it. And not everyone can stay, be patient and wait, especially when the doors of other big clubs across Europe are wide open.

LA LIGA - MATCHDAY 20

Friday

Espanyol - Girona 0-2 (0-1)

/Vanat 45+3 pen, 90+3 pen/

Saturday

Real Madrid - Levante 2-0 (0-0)

/Mbappe 58 pen, Asencio 65/

Mallorca - Ath. Bilbao 3-2 (2-2)

/Muriqi 5, 42, 69 pen - Gomez 8, Willilams 45/

Osasuna - Oviedo 3-2 (1-1)

/Budimir 45, 75, Munoz 90+2 - Vinas 40, Reina 68/

Betis - Villareal 2-0 (0-0)

/Ruibal 57, Fornals 83/

Sunday

16.00: (2.60) Getafe (2.75) Valencia (3.35)

18.15: (1.32) Atl.Madrid (5.50) Alaves (12.0)

20.30: (2.05) Celta (3.45) Rayo Vallecano (4.10)

23.00: (4.90) Sociedad (4.65) Barcelona (1.58)

Monday

23.00: (2.35) Elche (3.35) Sevilla (3.30)

***odds are subject to change***