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8 months ago
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Riqui Puig, a promising La Masia graduate, amassed significant attention when he first broke into the Barcelona first team.
However, despite his potential, he struggled to nail a fixed position in the starting XI and was eventually demoted, with the likes of Pedri and Gavi placed higher in the pecking order.
As such, he opted to hit the exit door in 2022, but Puig’s choice of destination was rather peculiar, as unlike most of his peers, he decided to play in the MLS.
Since joining the LA Galaxy, Puig has enjoyed his time away from the limelight and has now opened up about matters related to Barcelona in an interview via video call with Agencia EFE (h/t Mundo Deportivo).
Facing off against familiar faces
Having recently squared off against Inter Milan, Puig had the chance to once again share the pitch with former teammates Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba.
When asked if he had time to talk a little about Barcelona with them, the midfielder stated they did not bring up the topic.
“At the end of the game I was in their dressing room and we didn’t talk much about it. It’s a bit of a delicate subject.
“I didn’t want to ask about it either: I’m not there anymore, neither are they, I don’t know if they would want to talk about it. They are in Miami, making a new life, and I am in Los Angeles. It’s a topic that has been put aside,” he said.
Puig then acknowledged that he would have never considered the possibility of meeting these players in the MLS a few years ago.
“If you told me four years ago that I was going to meet Leo, ‘Busi’, Jordi and Luis in Los Angeles, me playing for the Galaxy and them in Miami, in an MLS opener, I would have said it was impossible.
“But once I was there I had a great time. I have a very good relationship with Busquets, we talk almost every week, and the same with Jordi. They are people I carry in my heart and meeting them in the league was amazing.
“Also playing against the best player in history, with whom I shared a dressing room for four years,” the Spaniard professed.
Sympathy for Barcelona
When quizzed about how he feels about looking at Barcelona struggling from afar, although they have improved recently, Puig claimed he is upset to see them in a bad position.
But the 24-year-old made sure to give President Joan Laporta his roses, believing he has what it takes to turn the situation around.
“I’ve been a Culé since I was a child, I was a member when I was four years old. It’s true that it makes me feel very bad to see them having a bad time and even more so with the good relationship I have with Joan Laporta.
“Right now the club has the best president it can have. He is doing his best, I think he is trying to solve the problems he had in the past.
“It tastes bad, especially when it is the club of my life, a great club that everyone knows. Now they are in Montjuic and the people of all my life are not going,” Puig remarked.
