BARCELONA'S £27MILLION SIGNING HAMMERS CLUB FOR AXING HIM AFTER JUST SEVEN MONTHS

Ex-Barcelona frontman Vitor Roque, who is currently out on loan at Real Betis, has hammered the Catalans for their treatment of him.

The Brazilian teenager opted to make the move from South America to Spain, leaving Athletico Paranaense for €30million (£27m) in January. His opportunities though at the Nou Camp were few and far between and the striker himself remains stunned at how the club handled him.

Hansi Flick has opted to farm him out having replaced Xavi as manager in the summer. Roque was given just two starts and a little over 300 minutes to prove his worth in his first six months, scoring twice, but clearly not doing enough to be part of the first-team plans.

The teenager was competing with some stellar names and impressive young talent as he eyed a starting berth. The likes of Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal are both leading lights at the Nou Camp and Roque now considers his time at the club "over".

He said: “It was a little difficult for me. I had some opportunities, but not in the way I thought. My head is clear. Now I am focused on Betis and thanking God for the opportunity to wear the national team shirt again. I thought that it was going to be different, both in the treatment and in the way of playing, and in the way of talking to me about the board, but it’s over,”

Barcelona have been criticised for their antics in the transfer market over recent years. Their spend, whilst being heavily in debt, has raised eyebrows whilst several players have been bought in and moved in with little care. Back in 2021 they signed Emerson Royal from Real Betis - but sold him to Tottenham in the same window.

Whilst football is a ruthless business Roque concedes he has had to deal with his mental health. He regularly speaks to those who can help him as he was left at a loss as to why Barcelona bought him on, only to largely overlooked him and then loan him out.

He added: “I have always been in therapy, with a mental coach. He has always helped me, since I was 16, when I also went through some obstacles. Today I try to do it too, it has helped me a lot to overcome several obstacles.”

“When I left, I did speak. One of the first times… I tried to understand why many things were happening, which I am not going to tell here. At Betis they welcomed me very well, I am very happy to be there and to have the opportunity to play there.”

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2024-09-07T11:29:13Z dg43tfdfdgfd