Pablo Barrios is a Spanish midfielder born in 2003. He developed through Atlético Madrid’s youth system and is currently playing as a starting central midfielder for the club.
Today, We will analyze him.
Pablo Barrios’s market value is estimated at €50 million according to Transfermarkt(as of april 2025)
Pablo Barrios Scouting Report
♦ Player Profile
Nationality : Spain
Date of Birth : 15 June 2003
Height : 181cm
Weight : 75kg
Possible Positions : Central Midfielder
Preferred Foot : Right
Youth Clubs :
ED Moratalaz (2008~2011)
Real Madrid CF (2011~2017)
Atlético de Madrid (2017~2022)
Senior Career :
Atlético de Madrid B (2022~2023)
Atlético de Madrid (2023~Present)
Pablo Barrios – 2024/25 Laliga Stats (As of April 2025)
| Season(League) | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Minutes Played |
| 2022-23 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 724 |
| 2023-24 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 1,555 |
| 2024-25(As of April 2025) | 23 | 0 | 2 | 1,781 |
Pablo Barrios : Strengths, Weaknesses & Playing Style Analysis
♦ Key Strengths :
Excellent defensive ability (tackling, interceptions, relentless pressing)
Dribbling skills
♣ Weakness :
Limited offensive output (lack of goal and assist contributions)
90-Minute stats comparison of seven players in the same position from the same league in the 24/25 season
♦ Development Path
Pablo Barrios, a Spanish midfielder born in 2003, emerged from the Atlético Madrid youth academy after originally starting at Real Madrid’s youth setup — a path similar to Saúl Ñíguez. He made his first-team debut in the 2022/23 season, quickly making an impression. The club rejected multiple loan offers from other teams, clearly indicating their intent to develop him into a core player by guaranteeing him playing time.
Since the 2023/24 season, Barrios has been consistently appearing in both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, showing impressive performances. In the 2024/25 season, he continued to perform well, but has recently faced criticism after receiving early red cards in back-to-back matches — one in the 22nd minute of the first half against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, and another just 6 minutes into the league game against Celta Vigo. While Atlético won the Leverkusen match, the Celta Vigo game ended in a draw, sparking some concerns.
♠ Playing Style Analysis
Pablo Barrios is one of the most exciting youth products Atlético Madrid has developed in recent years. As veterans like Koke and Rodrigo De Paul age, Barrios has emerged at the perfect time to become a central piece in the team’s midfield rebuilding phase — giving renewed hope to Atlético supporters.
Under manager Diego Simeone, Atlético Madrid typically plays with a compact 4-4-2 formation, emphasizing a low block and defensive stability. This system demands high intensity and work rate from its midfielders, and Barrios has proven to possess the stamina and physicality required to thrive in such a setup. He brings energy to the midfield and is often involved in build-up play.
Technically, Barrios has a strong foundation — with solid dribbling, passing, and kicking techniques. He has good vision and can deliver forward passes, while also excelling in defensive skills. These qualities allow him to play as a defensive midfielder, covering large areas and recovering possession effectively.
His ball-carrying ability stands out as well, enabling him to drive the ball forward and maintain possession under pressure. While he shows traits on both ends of the pitch, his lack of goal contributions reminds some fans of Mateo Kovačić — a player known for excellent dribbling and control, but not necessarily for attacking output.
In attack, he serves as a link-up player, connecting defense and offense. Defensively, he performs with discipline and tenacity, contributing to Atlético’s compact structure.
♣ Areas for Improvement
At this stage of his career, Barrios leans more toward the defensive side of midfield play. Compared to other midfielders in La Liga, he still lacks consistent goal contributions. Simeone’s tactical approach — often relying on individuals like Antoine Griezmann for offensive creativity — may be a contributing factor.
While his defensive skills are undoubtedly strong, recent matches have highlighted a tendency for reckless tackling, resulting in two early red cards. It’s crucial for him to develop better judgment in defensive challenges and avoid unnecessary risks.
♦ Future Outlook
With Koke aging, Atlético Madrid has long been searching for a suitable successor in midfield — and Barrios looks poised to fill that role. His background as a homegrown talent resonates well with the fans, making him a player to watch closely.
As players like Koke and Griezmann eventually move on, it remains to be seen whether Barrios can evolve into a more advanced role, perhaps like Thomas Partey once did, or whether he might struggle to impact the attacking phase. Either way, his progress will be critical to Atlético Madrid’s midfield future.
A fellow Spanish talent of the same age Alejandro Balde