Xavi talks why Barcelona’s €40 million signing is not getting minutes

Barcelona forward Vitor Roque was once again eluded of minutes by Xavi during their 2-0 win against Real Sociedad. 

Explaining his decision, the manager said that although the Brazil international has no shortage of talent, he is competing with great players at the club.

Roque, 19, last played for Barcelona during their 1-0 win over Cadiz on April 13 and has since been sidelined by the manager for unknown reasons. 

Against Real Sociedad, Xavi made a surprising decision to take off Robert Lewandowski in the 76th minute and while the natural replacement should have been Roque, it was Ferran Torres who replaced the Pole.

“Vitor Roque is a young player, but he needs to improve to compete against very high-level footballers,” said the manager as quoted by AS.

“There is competition at Barça. As a coach, I understand that there are players in better conditions to participate and nothing more. He is young, competing with great players,” he added.

What’s going on with Roque?

Vitor Roque is likely to leave Barcelona at the end of the season. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

It is suggested that Barcelona have finally made a decisive call that Roque won’t grace the roster for the upcoming 2024-25 season. 

Deco, who championed the early inclusion of the Brazilian back in January, has had a change of heart. His initial conviction that the forward could offer an immediate impact on the field has waned. 

Now, he is considering proposing a loan arrangement for the young player. Speaking about his future, the manager refused to utter words, saying that any decision regarding his future will be made towards the end of the season,

“We will make the decisions at the end of the season and internally.”

It must be noted that just months ago, Roque was highly coveted by one of Europe’s elite teams, yet his stint at Barcelona thus far has been marked by uncertainty, primarily stemming from a lack of playing opportunities under Xavi.