Eleven Youth Players Shine in Castellón’s Preseason Friendlies
So, here’s some interesting news from Castellón’s preseason: this summer, eleven young players from the club’s youth system have been given the chance to step up and get some valuable minutes with the first team during the preseason friendlies. It’s pretty exciting because it shows how the coach, Johan Plat, is keeping a close eye on the talent coming up from the B team and even the juvenile squad.
Johan Plat, the Dutch coach leading the first team, has been carefully monitoring the work of the reserve squad, which is trained by Pablo Hernández. The Castellón B team recently earned promotion to the Segunda Federación, which has brought fresh talent into the club’s ranks. This summer, those youngsters have been integrated into the preseason lineup, and in total, ten players from the B team plus one from the youth squad have been given their chance in the spotlight across the eight friendly matches played so far.
Starting with the goalkeepers, two of them made their debuts with the B team and then got some first-team action. Sergi Torner Rosell, who was born in 2004 and is a key player for Castellón B, played the last 30 minutes in the very first friendly against Queen’s Park Rangers. Meanwhile, Juanki Ferrando Mateu, a returning player born in 2006, featured towards the end of the games against Southampton and Deportivo Alavés, logging about 16 minutes in each.
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The defense has also seen some promising faces. Four young defenders got their minutes on the pitch this preseason. Álex Alcira, a left-back born in 2004, started in the match versus Queen’s Park Rangers and also came on later against Levante. Santi Borikó, who actually made his Segunda debut last season, played a solid 45 minutes in the opening friendly. Two newer signings, David Sellés and Yeray Izquierdo, also joined in — both coming from other clubs and gradually making their mark in these friendlies.
The midfield boasts some exciting additions as well. Guillem Terma, recently brought in from Olot, impressed with 20 minutes against Levante, while Toni Gabarri and a standout juvenile player named Adrián Arapio, who came from Valencia’s youth academy three years ago, have also been involved. Arapio, still very young, has shown great potential by accumulating nearly 20 minutes on the pitch during preseason.
Up front, the coach has trusted Nico Font and Miguel Ferrer ‘Miguelón’, both of whom got their time to contribute in attack during the friendlies. Font, now entering his second season with Castellón, logged 22 minutes in the match against Albacete, and Miguelón played eight minutes versus Levante.
What’s really noteworthy here is the way these preseason friendlies have been used to blend experience with youth. By giving significant playing time to these emerging talents, Castellón seems focused on building a strong, sustainable team for the coming season. This strategy not only prepares the youngsters for the rigors of competitive football but also injects fresh energy into the squad.
Overall, the preseason has been promising for Castellón, especially with so many canteranos—homegrown players—stepping up and showing their worth. It’s clear that the coaching staff is committed to developing local talent, and this approach could pay off handsomely as the competitive season gets underway in Segunda División.
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