• Champions.This is how the tournament goes

Riqui Puig is the latest incarnation of the essence of La Masia . The one who, until not so long ago, personified players of the stature of Xavi Hernández or Andrés Iniesta . The short ones, as some called them seeking to minimize their talent, were decisive not only in the most successful time of Barça, but also in that of the Spanish National Team. Now that weight falls on Puig. The young Matadepera midfielder has already left flashes reminiscent of his predecessors. And with the medullary in the box the most inopportune day, due to the sanctions of Busquets and Vidal , and the rebellion of Arthur , it is emerging as important in the Barcelona engine room to measure against Naplesin which, in addition, it will be his debut in the Champions League .

Gennaro Gattuso , current Naples coach, has already surrendered at his feet after seeing him in action in a friendly two years ago, when he was managing Milan. « Riqui Puig is a show . Seeing boys who still have the face of a child treat the ball like this is something that amazes me. I see that they feel football inside and that is something similar to poetry, "he said then. That day, the squad, now 20 years old, signed an entire exhibition, although the victory, by the minimum, was taken by the rossonero team. A KESSIE , which drew almost half body both high and wide, unhinged him so he could not do more than hug him like a bear to stop him dizzy in the middle of the field.

The image of Riqui Puig in his first steps with Barça was a bit reminiscent of Xavi's. They both looked like kids who had been given a T-shirt a size or two larger. Although, yes, when it came to touching the ball, that became an anecdote. To play football well, you don't have to be a physical marvel. Going much further back in time, when Pep Guardiola debuted in the first team under Johan Cruyff , many defended that he should gain muscle mass. They saw him too weak. The Dutchman, on the other hand, understood that this had helped him to forge his greatest virtue. To avoid the crash, he had to think fast where he wanted to send the ball and execute his decision at maximum speed. Something that the one from Terrassa also learned very well . And now, that of Matadepera, which does not reach 1.70.

Even though he is 20 years old, he is more than ready. He has participated in this final stage and has contributed a lot to the group. You have to gain that experience that the minutes give you so that it is even better and can settle in the first team, “ Busquets analyzed yesterday . « Both Riqui and Ansu are two players who are in a position to play and that whenever they have acted they have done quite well. I understand that they could perfectly start and play. I am sure that if they start from the beginning they will do it well and with all the guarantees ", added a Quique Setién who already gave the support to the midfielder after his remarkable game against Atlético at the Camp Nou, although his good words from then did not they were fully reflected in the decisions he would make later, with inconsistent minutes.

The loss of Dembélé

« Barça has not lost its identity , we have all heard about its DNA and its philosophy. We have tried to contribute things that we understood could come in handy and, in many cases, we have succeeded, but there are other things that are costing us a little more. We are in the process, we try to improve every day to get to what we want and that this club also wants »stressed a Setién who, finally, chose to leave Dembélé off the list . “Unfortunately, the training he has been able to do with the group is very few and we were going to take too great a risk. Also, he is not very confident yet and the best decision is not to wear it. If we go to Portugal, he will come, sure, and, if we see him with more confidence and better, he will be able to participate, "said the coach.

Lenglet, Griezmann and Araújo , meanwhile, received medical discharge and entered the list, with many names from the subsidiary, of a technician who, despite everything, wants to be optimistic. "It has not crossed my mind at any time that this is my last game," he said.

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Know more

  • Quique Setién
  • Spain Soccer Team
  • Portugal
  • Pep Guardiola
  • Ousmane Dembélé
  • Andres Iniesta
  • sports
  • soccer
  • FC Barcelona

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FútbolSetién: "I feel like I haven't done things so badly"

InterviewAndrés Iniesta: "Winning another World Cup would do us all good at this time"

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