Three Finnish players have completed a training stay at RCD Espanyol as part of a unique project that creates a real and stable connection between Finland and a LALIGA club
RCDE Academy Helsinki, which competes locally under the name RCDE Jalkapalloakatemia, continues to strengthen its role as a distinctive project within youth development football in Finland, establishing a real, stable and direct link with a LALIGA club such as RCD Espanyol de Barcelona.
Recently, three academy players — Onni Karhu, Tobias Kinnunen and Leo Wevelseip — took part in a training experience in Barcelona. All three, Finland Under-15 internationals, trained with RCD Espanyol’s elite Under-15 team and fully integrated into the methodology and day-to-day environment of the club’s academy.
Beyond the work on the pitch, the three players were also able to experience the club’s development environment from the inside, sharing routines, standards and habits that are part of one of the historic academies in Spanish football. An experience that highlights not only sporting development, but also the personal, cultural and competitive growth that this type of training stay can offer.
This initiative is not a one-off action, but part of an already established project. At present, RCDE Jalkapalloakatemia is the only structure in Finland with a real and operational link between a local club and a LALIGA club, allowing Finnish boys and girls to access genuine international development opportunities.
In fact, this is not the first time that young Finnish talents have taken part in experiences of this kind thanks to their connection with RCDE Academy. In recent years, several boys and girls have had the opportunity to train in Barcelona, share methodology with club teams and even play friendly matches, strengthening an ongoing sporting relationship between both structures.
This model turns the academy into a real bridge between Finland and Spain, not only at a sporting level, but also in educational and cultural terms, allowing young footballers to live experiences that go far beyond the pitch.
One of the key elements of the project is the permanent presence in Helsinki of an RCD Espanyol technical director, Adriano Bujalance, who leads the implementation of the club’s methodology. His work includes the continuous training of local coaches and the individual development of players, ensuring that the standards of RCDE’s youth academy are applied in a rigorous and consistent way.
Founded in 2019, the academy currently has more than 200 boys and girls, consolidating its position as one of the most relevant international initiatives within the club’s development structure.
Through initiatives like this, RCD Espanyol continues to expand its development model internationally, offering real growth opportunities to young talents and strengthening its presence in strategic markets such as Finland.