Riqui Puig has light and shadow. The clear ones have to do with his football, his self-confidence his personality his projection. The shadows with their lack of continuity certain episodes behind the scenes and with which Valverde did not like, did not convince Setien either and Koeman showed him the exit door shortly after arriving. He, meanwhile rebels against the curves on the road convinced stubborn, to continue at Barça to experience moments like this Wednesday in Cordoba.
Despite his few public appearances Riqui is skilled, almost the same as with the ball even more forceful. Remember his dart to Kluivert when he advised him to go on loan two years ago. At the end of the match against Real, he went through the microphones of Vamos to make it clear that he is not moving from Barcelona, no matter how much Koeman puts him on the list of possible exits, publicly criticizes him or there are a handful of teams interested in his assignment.
I’ve never lost my smile. I’m a pretty happy kid, that even if I don’t play things are going very well for me, I have my family, health, and I can’t complain about anything. If Ronald gives me minutes I’ll be grateful and I’ll take advantage of it and yes no, to keep working. Throw in the towel? That never after so many years at the club, which has cost me so much to get to the first team and now that I’m there.
I’m not going to throw it away. That paragraph summarizes how Riqui has taken the season that of his debut as a first-team player number 12 certainly peripheral when Guardiola’s Araujo 4 or Xavi’s Glenn was free. He knows that he has defenders and detractors a story that has its parallels with Ivan de la Pena. But he determines to consume his opportunities this year waiting for the changes that the new president may bring about. It’s no secret that Xavi loves it.
That decision makes sense with last night. The casualties and the tight schedule open a gap for him in the semifinal of the Super Cup. And he takes advantage of it with that self-confidence that is not afraid to fail. The scenario he wanted to star in could not be more dangerous. Take the fifth penalty. Koeman asked for a volunteer and there the Matapedrera one was launched. Fate wanted the pass to be in his boots. And it did not fail. When I caught the ball I knew it was going inside.
