La Masia's new arrivals kicking off Nou era

Barcelona's famed youth academy finally opens its doors to girls

When Claudia Riumallo Pineda wakes up, it does not take her long to know where she is.

From her bedroom window she can see the Johan Cruyff Stadium inside Barcelona's Ciutat Esportiva training ground, where she dreams of one day playing for the women's first team.

She is on the right track. The 18-year-old is one of nine trailblazers who this season became the first female players to enroll at La Masia, Barca's famed soccer academy where the likes of Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez all honed their skills.

Since opening in 1979 as an old house next to Camp Nou, La Masia has never had female residents.

But the women's team has been knocking on the door for a long time, with Barcelona Femenino winning the Champions League, Liga Femenina and Copa de la Reina last season.

"This year they have given us La Masia, which is a gift," says Claudia, who for years had to travel an hour by car from her town of Girona just to be able to train with girls.