Rafa Marquez tells Xavi want to expect from Barcelona Atletic youngsters Mika Faye and Pau Cubarsi

Barcelona Atletic boss Rafa Marquez is backing youngsters Pau Cubarsi and Mikayil Faye to break into the first team under Xavi.

The two defenders are both highly thought of at Barcelona and Marquez has offered a bit of insight into what both players can bring to the team.

“They are two players who understand each other quite well both defensively and offensively,” he told Sport.

“They both have good ball output, perhaps Mika is more forceful, especially because of his physicality. Cuba is more methodical, more intelligent in personal duels.

“They are both performing. Cuba surprises me even though I already knew about the quality because he is still very young for the category and yet he behaves like an experienced player.

“They are two profiles that we have to continue working on, perfecting to improve certain things and hopefully they can be a profile for the first team to take into account.”

Cubarsi is still only 16 but Lamine Yamal has proved this season that age is no barrier to the first team. Faye only arrived in the summer from Croatian side NK Kustosija Zagreb but seems to have taken very little time to impress at the club.