FC Barcelona aims to finish the year on a high before the Christmas holiday break with a victory as they prepare to welcome bottom-placed Almeria at Montjuïc, Barcelona. Following a run of games with surprisingly dropping points, Blaugrana boss Xavi is under fire for the team’s performance and results.
The Spanish champions are facing problems in attack as their prolific goal scorer, Robert Lewandowski is under criticism for poor performance and needs to regain his lost form from last season. Boss Xavi hints that the arrival of the Brazilian teenage sensation Vitor Roque might be their solution.
Xavi drops bold claim on Victor Roque
The Blaugrana have been unable to score more than two goals in their last 16 matches across all competitions. Before tonight’s fixture, Barca head coach Xavi addressed the pre-match press conference, where he dropped the announcement of their Brazilian prodigy, Victor Roque, joining the team.
Xavi said, “If everything goes well, he will join us after the holidays. We are in contact with him so that he arrives in good condition. He’s a hope for the team.
“He’s a very good signing and I think he can contribute a lot to us. So many positive things come to mind, and I don’t have time to think about the alternative. Work, goals, sacrifice… He’s a player that attacks the space.”
He said further, “We cannot put pressure on Vitor Roque or young people like Lamine. They have to go step by step. We have to take a step forward as a team. We need to make the difference, we lack effectiveness in the areas. The lack of effectiveness has weighed on us in many games. If we want to turn things around in La Liga, we need to improve there.”
Barcelona currently stands in 4th place on the La Liga points table with 35 points. They are facing challenges in terms of scoring goals, with their primary striker, the Pichichi winner from last season’s league-winning campaign, misfiring. The Polish international has only scored 9 goals this season so far.
Additionally, other wingers, including Raphinha, Joao Felix, and Ferran Torres, have not been clinical in front of the goal, contributing to Barcelona’s challenges in offense this season. Moreover, one of their key players, Pablo Gavi suffered an ACL injury ruling him out for the rest of the season.
Victor Roque Barcelona contract details
Earlier this year, in July, Barcelona signed the 18-year-old wonderkid from the Brazilian outfit Club Athletico Paranaense, agreeing on a transfer fee of around €40 million. Victor Roque has inked a long-term contract with the Spanish giants, securing his place until the 2030/31 season.
The contractual release clause is estimated to be a hefty €500 million. Barcelona officially confirmed the signing and revealed that the player will join the team at the end of this year, as confirmed by Xavi during his media conference.
Despite being 18 years old, Victor Roque has already made over 50 appearances in the Brazilian first-division Serie A. Additionally, the versatile teenager has notched up 17 goals and 4 assists. He claimed the top-scorer title at U20 Brazil and finished as the leading scorer in the U20 South American championships. In March, he made his debut for the senior Brazil national team.
