This is what we call a very relevant career choice. And last year, it was not won. A year ago now, Bradley Barcola decided to force his departure from OL. Trained in the Rhone club, the 19-year-old winger had the opportunity to join PSG. And while OL didn’t particularly intend to sell him, the player insisted and ended up joining the ranks of Luis Enrique who ardently wanted him. A daring choice for the rest of his young career, especially in a club with strong competition.
With Mbappé, Dembélé, Kolo Muani, Asensio, Ramos and even Kang-in Lee, Barcola had reason to worry. And many feared that this transfer would slow down his progress. However, the native of Villeurbanne amazed his people and, slowly but surely, established himself as an essential element of Luis Enrique. The Spanish tactician relied a lot on him and his percussion skills. And after a timid start to the season, Barcola has gained momentum. As a result, he finished the season with good statistics (5 goals, 9 assists in 39 matches). Enough to open the doors to the French team for him.
5 minutes and an assist
Two weeks ago, Didier Deschamps announced his list for the Euro which will take place in Germany. The Blues coach decided to call Bradley Barcola who was coming out of a full season with PSG. A very nice reward for him. This Wednesday evening, he also had his very first selection. The opportunity for him to show himself to his coach and score points a few days before the start of the competition. And we can say that it was successful. Although he only played 10 minutes in this meeting, the former OL player quickly showed his advantage and even managed to be decisive.
A few minutes after his entry, on one of his first accelerations, he delivered a decisive pass for his now ex-PSG teammate Kylian Mbappé. A small feat since we had to go back to 2017 to see a player deliver an assist for his first selection (Benjamin Mendy at the time). A dream debut for him with the Blues jersey. “It’s a source of pride. I was really looking forward to this match, being able to show what I can do. I gave everything, I’m happy. This jersey? It’s really a great source of pride. Plus my parents are here, it’s really great”, he confided after the meeting. Barcola is therefore continuing its dream season and could have a much more important role than expected for France at the Euro.
