Xavi Hernandez may bid farewell to what has become Barcelona’s number one captain this year following the departure of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba last season. This is Sergi Roberto, who could play his final year at the club where he has played his entire career due to the lack of minutes and importance he has at the start of the current season.
The versatile player made just two starts this season, against Villarreal and Osasuna, just before Joao Cancelo arrived. As the Portuguese maintained his starting position on the right side, the Reus player only made a few minutes off the bench. Despite being the leader, his role in the team has become residual. Despite his lack of fame, the Blaugrana “20” had the opportunity to score the equalizer for his team in the last match against Granada.
Sergi Roberto renewed last season for another year. The working method that Barcelona’s sports administration has begun to implement with the Catalan player in the 2021/22 season is to extend the contract year after year. A way to ensure the player’s continuity is to explicitly request that Xavi reduce his salary and allow him to evaluate at the end of the season whether the performance was sufficient or not.
It is possible that the renewal announced on March 3 will be the last that the midfielder will sign with FC Barcelona. The depth of the squad that Barcelona is gaining this season, especially after the right-back problem was solved, coupled with the poor performance of the 31-year-old, makes it very difficult to believe that Sergi Roberto will continue to play in the team. Camp Nou next season
YR: Europe Press – Joaquín Corchero
Sergi Roberto is a critical player
Sergi Roberto’s character has been affected by the turbulent period the team has gone through in recent years. The poor trend of the team and the club’s financial situation led to the full-back being heavily criticized as he was considered to have been paid too high a salary. The latest renewals were actually aimed at reducing what was considered a salary disproportionate to the quality of the player.
Injuries also limited his performance in the last two seasons. When it seemed that the player was able to regain his best levels and help the team in various positions, physical diseases ended up appearing and breaking the Catalan’s dynamics. The club’s poor sporting planning has resulted in the youth team getting more importance than the team needs, making it an easy target for fans. But now, Sergi Roberto has the option of leaving the club as captain and who knows whether he will lift the title or not. A suitable farewell that makes us forget the criticism we were subjected to during this period.
