Sekou Gassama, a footballer born in Granollers in 1995, has spoken about his time as a youth player at Barcelona and his subsequent career. The former defender turned forward, who is currently a free agent, is participating in the AFE Sessions and remembers his exit from the Blaugrana academy with affection but also disappointment. This information was gathered in a report published by Sport.es this week.
Barcelona, meanwhile, is starting the 2026/27 season on the right foot. The team is fifth in La Liga with 3 points, from one win in their only match played so far. Their next fixture is a home game against Athletic Club, who are currently bottom of the table. In terms of goals, the club has scored 5 and is yet to concede any, with Fermín as the top scorer with two goals.
What was his time in the Barcelona academy like?
Sekou Gassama arrived at Barcelona's youth setup after being spotted in a summer or school tournament. He shared a generation at La Masia with future stars like Héctor Bellerín, Sergi Samper and Keita Baldé. Although he started his career as a central defender, an idol changed his path. The influence of Didier Drogba, after watching him play in a 2-2 draw between Barça and Chelsea, led him to convert into a forward. "I always wore the Barça polo shirt they gave us, as if saying: 'This one is from Barça'", Gassama recalls about his youthful pride. However, the club ultimately did not renew him and he was released, a moment he describes as a disappointment.
What path has his career taken after leaving Barça?
After leaving the Blaugrana academy, Gassama's career has been a journey through several clubs and countries. In Spain he has worn the shirts of Almería, Valladolid, Fuenlabrada, Málaga and Racing. He has also played in Cyprus, Algeria and, most recently, in Peru with Universitario FC. His stay at the Peruvian club lasted six months and was marked by instability. He arrived under coach Javier Rabanal, but after his dismissal and the arrival of Jorge 'Coco' Araujo, Gassama stopped playing. He only got minutes again with the arrival of Héctor Cúper, playing in the final matches. Before that adventure, the player spent six months without competing due to a family problem.
What is his current situation and family background?
Currently, Sekou Gassama is a free agent and looking for a team, a situation he is using to participate in the 41st edition of the AFE Sessions, a service run by the players' union. He acknowledges that, although he has had good spells in Spanish football, recent years have not been good. His family life is deeply connected to sport, though not to football. He is from Granollers, a city with a handball tradition in the ASOBAL league, and his family is involved in this sport. His brother Mamadou is a right winger for Sporting Portugal, his sister Kaba is a pivot for Gloria Bistrița and a full Spanish international, and his other sister Goundo is a goalkeeper for Elda Prestigio and a Spanish youth international.
Despite his time at Barça, Gassama confesses that as a child he was a Valencia CF fan. "As a kid I had always been a Valencia fan. At school I would play as goalkeeper because I was a huge fan of Cañizares", he states, also mentioning winger Vicente Rodríguez as another of his idols. He considers Valencia his first team.
Sekou Gassama's future involves finding a new project where he can prove his worth again. Meanwhile, the Barcelona first team, to which he once belonged, focuses on its own battle in La Liga. Fans can follow the team's progress and check data such as the league standings or the upcoming fixture list. The squad, which includes top scorer Fermín, aims to maintain its positive run and close the three-point gap to leaders Sevilla.
