Ex-Barcelona Defender Praises Israeli Talent Guy Assulin

Former Barcelona defender Martin Montoya has lauded Israeli talent Guy Assulin, stating that Assulin stood out among his generation of promising young players at La Masia, Barcelona's famed youth academy. Montoya, who grew up alongside Assulin and later played for Barcelona's senior team, told the Spanish newspaper 'Sport' that Assulin was even more exceptional than future stars like Thiago Alcântara, Oriol Romeu, Cristian Tello, and Isaac Cuenca.

Montoya recalled that Assulin debuted for the senior team before many of his peers and was considered a potential successor to Lionel Messi. "He had that potential, and then, for one reason or another, he didn't manage to fulfill it," Montoya said. Assulin made one senior appearance for Barcelona in 2009 under Pep Guardiola before moving to Manchester City and embarking on a journeyman career across numerous clubs, including Brighton, Racing Santander, and Mallorca, eventually retiring in 2022.

Assulin himself recently reflected on his near-miss with Barcelona's first team. He told 'Sport' that he believed he was close to breaking through, discussing his situation with both Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique. Assulin recounted that Guardiola initially planned to integrate him into the senior squad but changed his mind after Assulin's agent inquired about his status, leading to Assulin being sent back to the reserve team. Assulin described this as a "real life lesson."