Being a dynasty isn’t without its problems.
For the better part of a decade Barcelona
has been one of the best teams in Europe,
thanks in large part to the consistent
influx of talent from La Masia (and some
from transfers). But with all that talent
comes a problem, one I’m sure Luis
Enrique is happy to have.
There’s often not enough playing time to
go around when you have the likes of
Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez, Andres
Iniesta and Sergio Busquets in the lineup.
Hence the recent departures of players
like Thiago, Gerard Deulofeu, and most
recently Pedro to Champions League rival
Chelsea.
All of this to say, it is refreshing to see 23
year old Sergi Roberto saying , “If I had
left, I would have regretted it.” After
considering offers from the EPL (rumors
had him going to Stoke, possibly Everton),
Roberto was ultimately persuaded by Luis
Enrique to stay and is now a regular
contributor to the squad to the tune of six
starts in La Liga.
As Thomas Müller recently said, the wages
in the Premier League “are very tempting”
even when coming a from a club like
Bayern Munich, which gives some
perspective as to what Roberto was
potentially passing up.
Traditionally a midfielder, Roberto has
been getting play at right back as well,
proving to be a dynamic player down the
right and taking on added his defensive
responsibility with grace, though he still
has room to improve. He has also shown
that he can put in a good cross when
required, as shown in the match against
Las Palmas on a cross that found the head
of Luis Suarez and ended up the back of
the net.
Roberto has the potential to be the in
house solution for the post-Dani Alves era
at Barcelona. Alves had a great 2014-15
season, but at 32 years old he certainly
can’t keep up his level of production much
longer and at times his last ball in is
lacking.
Being a full back in Barcelona’s scheme
requires an incredibly high level of fitness,
as the position is just as integral to the
attack as it is to the defense. Of course,
he will face stiff competition from new
signee Aleix Vidal when the transfer ban
lifts in January, who has spent his career
playing down the right side.
For the time being, it appears that Roberto
is a rotational player. But there are a few
reasons he needs to be given serious
consideration (aside from his obvious
talent) as a long term solution at right
back.
Firstly, he is 23 years old, meaning he has
the potential to be a major player at the
club for most of the next decade.
Second, as a home-grown product, Enrique
needs to show that there is still room for
La Masia graduates to move up the ranks,
especially considering how much has been
spent on transfers in recent years.
Thirdly, Iniesta, Rakitic and Busquets don’t
appear to be slowing down anytime soon,
meaning the midfield will remain crowded
for at least the next 2-3 years depending
on how Iniesta ages.
Roberto was inclined to stay this past
summer, but he may have felt differently in
a couple of years if his situation hadn’t
changed. While Luis Enrique and Cules all
of the world would love to retain the depth
of the squad, ultimately these players are
competitive men. The promises of more
playing time and better wages are difficult
to turn down, to assume Roberto would
feel any different would be foolish.
However, given the recent trust that the
manager has put on him, it would be safe
to say that, unless the situation changed
dramatically, Sergi Roberto is here to stay.
