Wednesday was a very special day for Álvaro Cortés. The Zaragoza-born defender not only made his debut for FC Barcelona, but did so as a starter. After several call-ups, coach Hansi Flick rewarded the defender, who joined the club in the summer of 2021, with his first minutes in central defence alongside Pau Cubarsí.

Wearing the number 36 shirt, Cortés played as the left-sided centre-back, and was highly active in building play from the back. He looked remarkably composed throughout, while also making crucial defensive interventions, particularly in the air where he showcased his exceptional heading ability. In the 20th minute, he played a particularly key role by blocking a shot from Abde Rebbach that was on the point of surprising Szczesny.

In the second half the defender maintained his good form, playing alongside Kounde for a period in the centre of the defence to mark a day he will never forget, despite the defeat for the blaugranes. 

The match marked another important step in the young Aragonese defender’s Barça journey. After arriving from Real Zaragoza, his first team at the club was the U19B side before spending a season on loan at CF Damm. On returning to Barça, he took part in preseason training with Barça Atlètic and made his official debut for the reserves on 27 August 2023 at SD Logroñés.

In the 2024/25 season, Cortés became a regular member of Barça Atlètic and played 30 matches. A strong campaign that he capped off with his first senior squad call-up under Flick, which came on 23 November 2024 away to Celta Vigo in the league.

Debut day

This season, Álvaro Cortés has served as first captain of Barça Atlètic and one of the reserve side’s leaders both on and off the pitch. A regular starter, he played 27 league matches (all in the starting XI) and even scored three goals. Now, he has received the opportunity every Barça player dreams of. He has played for the first team!

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