Barcelona hope Ismail Ziani Lopez can overcome injury setbacks and fulfil his potential

Barcelona are hoping teenage striker Ismail Ziani Lopez can put a string of injuries behind him and begin to realise his considerable potential.

The 16-year-old is regarded as one of the club’s most promising players in the centre-forward position, but recurring problems have prevented him from building consistency and slowed his development over recent seasons.

According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Ziani was born in Granollers to a Moroccan father and a Catalan mother. He represents Morocco’s youth teams and is viewed as a player who could eventually become an important part of Barcelona’s youth attack if he can regain his fitness and maintain his form.

Ziani has suffered a series of injuries affecting his knee and fibula. Since joining Barcelona’s Infantil B side in the 2022-23 season, he has made only 39 appearances and has not completed a campaign without physical problems.

Despite those difficulties, Barcelona have retained their belief in his ability. The club are managing his return carefully and are working to prepare him progressively in an effort to reduce the risk of further injuries.

Ziani began this season with Juvenil B in encouraging fashion, scoring the winning goal in the opening round. He has also been called up by Morocco Under-17s, strengthening his hopes of competing for a place in the squad for the Under-17 World Cup.

That tournament is scheduled to take place in Qatar between 19 November and 13 December.

The current plan is to give Ziani gradually increased playing time with Juvenil A. The aim is to help him recover his match rhythm and reach the highest possible level of fitness without placing undue demands on him.

Both Barcelona’s coaching staff and those working with Morocco recognise the need to handle the forward cautiously because of his long injury history.

Ziani’s physical profile is one of the reasons for the confidence surrounding him. He is tall, strong, intelligent in his movement and capable of finishing attacks, qualities that have led Barcelona to view him as a potential future striker for the club.

He turns 17 on 1 November, and Barcelona hope the next stage of his development will bring the physical stability that has so far eluded him. If that happens, the club believe he can begin translating his outstanding natural talent into consistent performances on the pitch.