‘Not what I would have liked’ – Barcelona veteran reflects on the season gone by

After returning to his beloved Barcelona last summer, Oriol Romeu was given the responsibility of temporarily filling in the shoes of the departing Sergio Busquets.

However, with the 2023/24 campaign recently coming to a close, it is fair to say that Romeu has had a season to forget.

The veteran midfielder has struggled to establish himself as a first-team regular at Barcelona and his future is up in the air, as the club prepare for the new season.

Oriol Romeu on his poor campaign.

In a recent interview (h/t SPORT), Romeu reflected on his 2023/24 campaign, admitting that the season was far from what he had desired.

“From a physical aspect, it is not what I would have liked. Mental, either,” Romeu said. “Due to errors or individual actions. I have gone a little beyond my thoughts and I have given it too much thought.” 

Romeu has indeed found it difficult to establish himself at Barça. Despite featuring in 28 league matches, the midfielder was able to start 11 times in the league.

Romeu’s poor season led to widespread criticism over his quality. When asked about the same, the midfielder replied, “Am I really qualified? I’ve thought about it many times, but yes. When I was on the bench, I tried to mentally position myself for when Xavi told me to come on.“

“Once on the field, the adrenaline is higher and if I lost a game I couldn’t sleep… it’s different being on the bench than on the pitch,” he added.

What’s next for Oriol Romeu? (Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images)

When asked about a potential retirement, Romeu noted, “I don’t know where I see myself. What I know is that at 27 years old I thought that at 32 or 33, I would retire, but it is true that now I have found routines that have helped me a lot and I hope to last much longer.“

Romeu on Busquets comparisons

Another highlight of the interview saw Romeu clarifying comparisons to Busquets and expectations from Barcelona fans that he would replace the legendary midfielder this past season.

“I really value what Busquets has done but I didn’t come with the intention of replacing him. I demanded more from myself than what they said,” he said.

Explaining his move to Barcelona

Following a poor season, Romeu is one of the players in contention to leave Barcelona this summer, with a return to Girona potentially on the cards.

Romeu, though, admitted that he does not regret the decision to join Barcelona and would do so again if given the opportunity.

“When you make a decision you do it with what you have on the table. I would probably make the same decision if it were repeated.

“Barça comes to you with an offer on the table and they tell you that you will be very important. Then you learn if it works out one way or another, and you believe what is best for you, but at that moment it is what it is,” Romeu said.

Finally, Romeu was asked whether his teammates in the dressing room discuss each other’s salaries.

The midfielder vehemently denied, stating, “Seeing and knowing players, it is the one that is least talked about. The important thing is the goals and winning. When you play well that’s when you sleep better. Many players end up ruined because they lack financial advice. Nowadays the players are more prepared”