His recruitment last summer raised a lot of hopes. Vitor Roque, considered one of the most promising young people on the planet, was called upon to have a role to play in this Barça. Not as a starter of course, but we at least hoped to see him come into play during the second periods. But for now, his playing time is starving. He only played 276 minutes in La Liga, spread across 11 appearances in total. During the Clasico or the return against PSG, when Barça needed a new lease of life up front, Xavi decided to leave him on the bench.
A situation that gets people talking. Internally first, where we don’t really understand Xavi’s management of his case, as indicated Relevo. Especially since the Blaugrana staff had made great financial efforts to bring him in, while the club’s situation is critical in this regard. The leaders believe, for example, that during the Clasico, Xavi should bring in the Brazilian and not Ferran Torres to replace Lewandowski. The management of the Roque case by the Catalan coach therefore raises serious questions among decision-makers.
Is he in Xavi’s plans?
The Spanish media indicates that those around the player are also starting to cringe. We are aware that a period of adaptation is logical and necessary, especially after such a jump. But we also wonder if Xavi really counts on the player, either now or for the future. It must be said that it was the sulphurous André Cury, a Brazilian intermediary very close to Barça, who was behind his arrival in Catalonia. He had placed many players at the club in recent years, and many of them were of questionable standard and flopped. Some fans clearly denounced shenanigans and stories of commissions.
Is this also the case with Roque? A priori no, since he proved himself in Brazil, and other major clubs coveted him. On paper, the sporting choice seems coherent. On the other hand, it is clear that Xavi is, for the moment, not convinced. Now that Barça has nothing left to play for in La Liga, those close to the players and managers alike hope that Vitor Roque can get some playing time…
