Former Barcelona midfielder Riqui Puig has hit out at Xavi Hernandez over the club's treatment of unwanted players.
Puig started just two La Liga matches under Xavi and only ever started 11 league games across his career at the club despite enjoying a great deal of hype from the fanbase following his exciting youth career. He completed a transfer to MLS club LA Galaxy earlier this summer.
The central midfielder made 57 first-team appearances for Barca after joining the club in 2013, aged 14, with the Catalan giants retaining a repurchase option for the player, which also entitles them to 50 per cent of any future sale.
Puig's criticism of the club's treatment of the player comes amid others critiquing the handling of Frenkie de Jong. Barca have already demanded the Dutchman reduce his salary by half or leave – with the treatment of him being slammed by former Netherlands international Rafael van der Vaart. Ex-Barca striker Gary Lineker has also criticised the Blaugrana for treating the midfielder "like a piece of meat".
Puig has already made his debut with the LA Galaxy, in a 3-3 draw against the Seattle Sounders, and opened up to broadcaster Fox about his final few months at the Camp Nou. "The truth is that it has been a pretty hard few months because I had never seen the club leave players in Barcelona and not let them go on tour with them," the midfielder said.
"Maybe I am misunderstanding the situation of the club and that they are wanting to pressure the players to leave, but it should have been done in another way. The truth is that it was painful to be in Barcelona training alone with four teammates who were also with me."
Have Your Say! What do you think of Barcelona's treatment of their unwanted players? Tell us what you think here.
Five Barcelona players were excluded from the club's pre-season tour of the United States as they aimed to clear out fringe players within the squad. Goalkeeper Neto, defenders Oscar Mingueza and Samuel Umtiti, midfielder Puig and striker Martin Braithwaite were all omitted from the squad. Aside from Braithwaite, all of those players have had moves away subsequently sanctioned.
On his exit, Puig added: "Yes, huge disappointment. And even moreso after seven years at the club. This is a coach (Xavi) who has also been at the club for a long time. Being here in Barcelona while all my teammates were in Los Angeles playing games, it hurt me a lot. It was a very complicated situation, sometimes you have to make decisions. I don't share the thoughts of the club."
Former Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas recently compared Puig to former Blaugrana midfield maestro Andres Iniesta, when he said on Catalan radio station RAC1: "Riqui can become like Iniesta, for example, if coaches trust him. I know that comparing him with Andres are big words but such a player could cost a fortune on today's market. I'm sure Riqui has what it takes to succeed, he just has to have the right attitude and keep improving."
That attitude has come under question, however, with Xavi's predecessor Ronald Koeman taking a public dig at his application following a prolonged spell out of the lineup. "I like people who work every day to improve, and who take opportunities with both hands. Sometimes it's not just about quality," Koeman explained at the end of 2020. "There may be players who don't do enough in training for the coach to give opportunities."
