By helplessly witnessing the success of Real Madrid with its Brazilian talents, FC Barcelona hoped to have found its rare bird in the person of Vitor Roque. We will have to wait before drawing conclusions, but what we are fairly sure of is that the adventure between the Brazilian and the Catalan club started backwards. Downgraded in Hansi Flick’s hierarchy this summer, Roque even saw his number 19 reassigned to Lamine Yamal. After six rather mixed months, the 19-year-old striker joined Betis on loan.
In recent weeks, the player had already made revelations about his first complicated months in Catalonia, experienced to the rhythm of tears and anxiety after training. In a lighter Andalusian context, the Brazilian international (1 selection) is now smiling again. And if his statistics still remain quite meager (1 goal in 6 La Liga matches), they do not say everything about his newfound well-being. “I’m training to play well and obviously score goals and help the team. If one has chances and chances, the goal will come one way or another”he confided in an interview with the media ABCSevilla.
Barcelona, not for now
For a player bought for more than 35 million euros, and called to become the new goleador of Barça, the question of his future inevitably arises. And obviously Roque wants it to be written somewhere other than Barcelona: “I’m really happy. My family, who went through difficult times, also smiles with me. I didn’t smile for six or seven months (in Barcelona) and I went through complicated situations, but now it’s over. I am here and happy. This is the most important thing, said the former Paranaense striker, before continuing.
Stay at Betis? The truth is, it’s not up to me. I want to play here for Betis. I would love to stay. I talked to my parents about it, life is good here and I would like to play there longer“, he concluded. It also remains to be seen whether his performances will convince Betis to extend the loan, or even more. As a reminder, the Andalusian club has a clause allowing it to lift the optional additional year, and has also reserved a right to purchase. The coming months should provide us with some clues.
