Barca Academy explains decision to build world-class facilities in Nigeria

Promoters of the Barca Academy in Nigeria, the Blaugrana Group International, have explained that they decided to build world-class training facilities in the country to give their students the same type of structures available to youth footballers in Barcelona.

The academy in Lagos is modeled after the parent club’s facilities in Barcelona and according to the Blaugrana Group, the essence is to ensure that players produced in Nigeria meet the standard set by the Spanish club.

Speaking while inspecting work on the academy’s facilities in Lagos, Blaugrana Group Chairman, Leslie Oghomienor, said his organisation’s primary goal is to make an endurable and sustainable difference and impact in the global sports sphere with Nigeria as the launching pad.

“Our future is driven by how much and how well our children progress and succeed in both their academic pursuit and football career. This is a call we have answered in order to be of service to the human society and live a fulfiled life in sharing the most important human resources – time.

“We believe that in our own little way, we will be part of the fulfilment of dreams that will uplift the Nigerian nation,” Mr. Oghomienor said.

He revealed that the academy has found means of ensuring that it continued to progress until the COVID-19 induced lockdown is fully lifted. 

“The global pandemic has slowed down a lot of things in the sports sector. For instance, the children were not able to travel to Spain in April.  But we are doing everything possible to ensure that our children and the coaches do not lag behind in any form. They are our strength,” he explained.