Gerard Deulofeu, a talented La Masía graduate with a long elite career, has not forgotten about Barça. Currently recovering from a severe knee injury, ‘Deulo’ talks to Flashscore about his sporting career and the madness he feels for Lamine Yamal and Pedri, whom he considers “two football creators for the next 10-15 years at the highest level, Pedri and Lamine Yamal, who I’m crazy about”. “Pedri and Lamine, with the rest of the players alongside them, are going to make that team fly. I have no doubts about it.”
For the winger, Barça is “A clear candidate for everything,” as he continues, “they play so aggressively, such a forward line, such a creative attack. I love watching them.” Deulofeu explains how he sees a team “spectacularly managed by Hansi Flick” in his second season, “it smells very good. It’s a good idea of play, very aggressive and very difficult for the opposition, but then you add the spectacular players they have… I tell the fans to be as enthusiastic as possible.”
Asked about how Lamine became important after Dembélé left, the player from Riudarenes explains, “”that’s football, that’s life, it depends a lot on details. Yes, Lamine had the option of being able to come in earlier because Barça were coming from a complicated period after Leo’s departure. But if it hadn’t been at Barça, he would have triumphed somewhere in the world. Because if you see his playmaking, how he understands the game, how he dominates the ball… If it hadn’t been at Barça, I think he would have shone in another important team.”
About his time at Barça, ‘Deulo’ opens up, “I was very irregular, because I’m a demanding person. I know I was young, I needed adaptation and games, and in such a winning side like Barça, it was difficult to have regularity being so young with David Villa, with Alexis Sánchez, with Leo Messi, with Luis Suarez, with Neymar at some point.”
However, he is totally grateful to Barça, “Total gratitude because my training period was very nice and it has helped me to make a very important career. Then there are nuances, that I could have been more patient after returning from Milan, being at Barça, going to the national team. They could also have given me a longer contract. But the main focus is gratitude. And outside Barça, there is a way out. I have also reconverted my game from that right winger to a striker, a second striker, to adapt to the teams I was in. I’m happy with how it went.”
