Barça reinvents its project with eleven signings and only five survivors

The reconstruction of Barça is the most profound in recent years. From a squad that finished the 2025-26 season in ninth place out of twenty teams, with twenty-one victories and seventeen defeats, only five names remain. The rest have been completely replaced under a criterion that the sports management precisely defined: signings by profile, not by positions. Athletic profiles, fresh legs, and players hungry for growth. Nothing like what was there before.

The previous campaign was a warning for a club that has won two EuroLeagues and reached four finals this century. Missing out on the postseason is not just a bad year; it is a wake-up call that demanded drastic decisions. The departure of Xavi Pascual to Dubai marked the turning point, taking with him captain Toko Shengelia, who paid around one million euros in a buyout clause to follow the coach.

The exodus: ten departures that explain the change

The magnitude of the transformation is understood by looking at the departures. Tomas Satoransky left for Hapoel, Nico Laprovittola returned to Joventut, Willy Hernangómez went to Unicaja, Will Clyburn signed with Fenerbahce, and Youssoupha Fall went to China. Jan Vesely ended his career with retirement. Juani Marcos found a place at UCAM Murcia and Miles Norris at Bayern. But the most significant blow was the departure of Toko Shengelia in August, who was not only the captain but also the emotional reference of the locker room.

The departure of ten players opened a void that needed to be filled with judgment and vision. It was not about replacing names for names, but about redesigning the competitive structure from its foundations.

Eleven signings: the bet on youth and athleticism

The arrival of eleven new players corresponds to three clearly differentiated profiles. In the backcourt, Justin Robinson —selected as the best player of the Lliga Catalana— and Umoja Gibson bring rhythm, speed, and playmaking ability. Robinson, recognized in preseason, arrives with credentials for immediate impact.

On the perimeter, Barça has significantly reinforced. Tyrese Martin comes from Philadelphia, Stanley Umude joins the offensive rotation, Justin Minaya debuts in European basketball after his time in the G League, and Agustín Ubal returns after a breakout season in Manresa. All of them contribute versatility and athletic capability.

The frontcourt has been completely rebuilt. Josh Nebo comes from Olimpia Milano, Olek Balcerowski from Unicaja, Yoan Makoundou joins the rotation, Olivier Nkamhoua arrives from Varese, and Tosan Evbuomwan from Charlotte. An interesting fact: Minaya and Evbuomwan faced each other last season in the G League Eastern Conference final. Now both will debut in European basketball wearing the same jersey.

The five survivors and the identity

Juan Núñez, Darío Brizuela, Kevin Punter, and Joel Parra —the latter renewed once again— are the four names accompanying the five unnamed survivors. These four players bear the responsibility of maintaining the identity of the locker room, the institutional memory, and continuity in a radically new project.

Punter, at thirty-three years old, is the most senior player on the roster. This situation reflects a reality: there is no young star who can decide games in April. It is a team built on depth, featuring many good players capable of competing in the regular season, but whose capacity to maintain the level in critical moments is yet to be proven.

The assembly as the central challenge

Eleven new players need to understand each other simultaneously in the most demanding competition in Europe. The preseason has already shown the two possible extremes. Barça won the Lliga Catalana, but needed to come back from a thirty-minute deficit against Ilerna Lleida in the final to do so. This volatility will be the pattern in the first weeks.

The tactical idea of Sekulic —quick possessions, fast breaks, and freedom from the three-point line— was evident from the first friendly in Encamp and worked against Manresa, a rival that plays similarly. The question that defines the season is whether this system can withstand EuroLeague defenses, where opponents have more resources to neutralize the transition game and offensive haste.

The absence of a clear reference is another key factor. A team full of good players tends to perform well in the regular season, accumulating victories day by day. However, this profile often falls short in the postseason when games are decided by details, experience, and the ability of one or two names to make crucial decisions under pressure.

Health concerns

Darío Brizuela was injured in the Lliga Catalana final with fifty-one seconds remaining in the third quarter. The club has not yet detailed the extent of the injury, an uncertainty that weighs heavily in a squad with only five survivors. Losing one of them in September has a disproportionate impact on group cohesion and the continuity of the project.

Realistic expectations and the forecast

Barça should return to the postseason. This is the minimum required after such a significant investment in signings and project restructuring. But this is not about completing an already advanced work, but about building from scratch. It is reasonable to expect an irregular start, with ups and downs typical of a team learning to play together.

The historical benchmark is set by the institution itself. No one at the Palau will consider it a success to stay in the play-in. The Final Four is the horizon that always defines the ambitions of a club of this magnitude. And this squad, for now, does not seem prepared for that level. But the course is long, the assembly can improve significantly, and the athletic talent is present. Barça bets that time, competition, and joint maturity will achieve what theory cannot yet guarantee.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Barça reinventa su proyecto con once fichajes y solo cinco supervivientes