The victory celebration was bittersweet for many of the veteran coaches, who saw in the team's success a vindication of traditional football values but also recognized that such values were under increasing pressure from commercial considerations.
They understood that this might be one of the last generations of players developed purely according to footballing criteria, without the interference of marketing considerations and commercial imperatives.
As the season concluded and the players prepared for their summer break, the atmosphere at La Masia was one of transition and uncertainty. The academy that had produced some of the greatest players in football history was changing, and no one could predict exactly what those changes would mean for the future of player development at Barcelona.
For Mateo, the summer break provided an opportunity to reflect on the changes he had witnessed and their potential implications for his future.
