The coach was again asked about the young Brazilian’s lack of minutes
The Vitor Roque situation continues to dominate the headlines around Barcelona as the young Brazilian striker was once again an unused substitute in the Catalans’ 2-0 victory over Real Sociedad on Monday, adding even more fuel to the fire surrounding his status at the club and the upcoming summer transfer window.
Barça have reportedly decided to let the 19-year-old leave on loan next season, but the player’s agent gave an explosive response recently in which he says Roque will either stay or leave on a permanent transfer, which has created a mess just a few months after his arrival in January.
Xavi Hernández was once again asked about Vitor Roque’s situation in a press conference on Wednesday, and he seems pretty confused and doesn’t quite know what all the fuss is about when it comes to a young player who has just arrived in a new country and is still learning to be part of one of the biggest clubs in the world.
“The intention was not for Vitor to come in December, for him to stay there [in Brazil]. The option was opened up with the injuries of Gavi and Balde. We believed it was for the best. This a debate that, for me, does not makes sense. He is learning. There are footballers ahead of him, who are in better conditions, and that is why he plays less. These things have happened all my life.”
Xavi indicates that Roque wasn’t even supposed to be a Barça player right now, and his arrival was only possible due to Gavi and Alejandro Balde suffering season-ending injuries and their salaries coming off the books. This was a young striker Xavi was hopeful of working with next season, and several reports at the time indicate the coach wanted a midfielder in January after Gavi’s injury and saw Roque’s arrival fast-tracked instead.
So this is basically what Xavi is saying: “He wasn’t supposed to be here anyway, and I believe the other attackers in the squad understand my system better and are more capable of contributing right away. I didn’t have a pre-season with this guy, and we should have signed a midfielder instead of him in January anyway. What do you want me to do? Play him when he’s not ready?”
Whether you agree with Xavi’s logic or not, he certainly does have a point. Vitor Roque went from an exciting signing to a mess in less than five months, and that’s simply because the club wanted to make noise on social media and on the marketing side instead of wondering if this was really best for the team at the time.
And now here we are, possibly severing relations with one of the most exciting prospects Brazil has produced in a while, because the people in charge don’t know how to run a football club at the most basic level.
Congratulations to all involved.
Source - www.barcablaugranes.com