"Barca should have been more patient with me"

Arthur Melo always has nice things to say about Barcelona, despite the fact that the Brazilian didn't have many opportunities there. In fact, the club sent him off to Italy in exchange for Miralem Pjanic.

"I think Barcelona lacked patience with me because I was very young. I arrived when I was hardly 21. And I had to leave when I was going for my third season, when I was getting more comfortable", he said in 'Sport'.

The player, who spent last season on loan at Liverpool from Juventus, believed that this year was going to be his year: "I felt better every day with the style of play, more comfortable, without as much pressure, with more experience. This was my season to make a leap in my career. But in football, as you know, my plans changed and I left for Juve".

"I love Xavi as a coach, he's doing an incredible job. He's rebuilt Barcelona's image, the beautiful game, the possession, the aggression. I admired him as a player and I admire him as a coach. I didn't have the opportunity to play with him, I would love to have him as a coach", Arthur confessed.

The Brazilian spoke about his compatriot Vitor Roque, who will join the Spanish side soon: "He's very young, but very good. He's proven that he has a high level and, being so young, he has the personality of a great player".

Comparisons to Endrick are inevitable: "He is still very young and he has signed for a big team. There is a lot of pressure and maybe at that age you don't absorb it well. But he is a great player, he has proven that. That's why he's in a great team in Brazil and has just signed for another one. I really like the way he plays, he has a lot of personality and he can sniff out the goal".

 

July 10, 2023