It’s just over a month since Barcelona were rounding off their pre-season tour of the United States. They’d faced Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Juventus and New York Red Bulls, allowing fans in Florida, Nevada, Texas and New Jersey the first look at Xavi’s new-look side.
The coach, unable to get in due to visa issues following a previous visit to Iran, was the most notable absentee. But he wasn’t the only one. Neto, Oscar Mingueza, Moussa Wague, Samuel Umtiti and Riqui Puig had been left behind to train back in Barcelona.
The writing was on the wall for the quintet: they were not in Barcelona’s plans for the 2022-23 season. And sure enough, they’ve all since left.
Puig’s non-attendance was perhaps the most headline-worthy. His entire career to date has felt like a wait for him to burst into life and realise his undoubted potential, but a succession of coaches have opted against giving him a regular runout.
“I like people who work every day to improve, and who take opportunities with both hands. Sometimes it’s not just about quality,” Ronald Koeman said, somewhat pointedly, back in 2020. “There may be players who don’t do enough in training for the coach to give opportunities.”
Xavi, on the record, hasn’t been quite so frank. But his actions have spoken louder than words.
Puig just made 12 appearances under the coach last season, nine of which were as a substitute. It became increasingly clear for Puig to clock up regular minutes and get to another level, he would have to seek pastures new.
Now he’s lighting things up in the United States just a few short weeks after former team-mates. He signed a three-year deal with LA Galaxy and has arrived with a point to prove.
“It was a tough month because I had never seen that before, leaving players behind in Barcelona and going on a tour without them,” Puig told AS earlier this month.
“Perhaps I understand the club’s position, they want to put pressure on players to leave, but there are other ways to do it. It was really difficult being in Barcelona, training alone, with four other team-mates who were also there with me.
“After seven years at the club, being in Barcelona when all my team-mates are in Los Angeles playing matches, well, the truth is that it hurt me a lot. It’s a difficult situation and sometimes you have to make decisions and they have made this decision but I don’t agree with it.”
“I couldn’t imagine this club was reaching out to me… I couldn’t…
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