Barcelona bank on their Moroccan gem: an exceptional talent haunted by a curse of injuries
Ziani to a Moroccan father and a Catalan mother
Barcelona are clinging to their hopes of developing Ismael Ziani Lopez, a 16-year-old striker of exceptional talent. Repeated injuries have denied him continuity and stunted his development over the past few seasons. His biggest challenge now is rebuilding his fitness and proving himself on the pitch.
According to the Spanish newspaper "Sport", Ziani ranks among the most promising talents in the out-and-out striker position. Born in Granollers to a Moroccan father and a Catalan mother, he represents Morocco's youth national teams, and there are hopes he can rediscover his level and become an influential figure in Barcelona's youth attack.
A series of injuries to his knee and fibula have restricted him to just 39 matches since he joined the Infantil B team in 2022-2023, without ever completing a campaign free of physical problems. The club have not lost faith despite the setbacks. They are working to build him up gradually and keep the injuries at bay.
This season started brightly for Ziani with the Juvenil B team. He scored the winner on the opening round, then earned a call-up from Morocco's under-17 side, a step that boosts his hopes of forcing his way into the squad for the age-group World Cup, scheduled for Qatar between 19 November and 13 December.
Right now the plan is to hand him minutes gradually with the Juvenil A team, helping him recover his match rhythm and reach peak fitness. The technical staff at both Barcelona and the Moroccan national team know how carefully they must handle his long injury history.
Height, physical strength, intelligent movement and a knack for finishing off attacks set the young striker apart. Those qualities make him a promising forward in the making at the Catalan club.
Ziani turns 17 on 1 November. Barcelona hope the coming phase gives him the physical stability he has lacked, so he can turn that enormous talent into reality on the pitch.
