It is the hope of every player at a club like Barcelona to retain their place for years to come. However, given the demands of both the club and the sport itself, it becomes difficult to do so with perfect guarantees. Yet, there have been cases at Barcelona who have shown themselves to be capable of doing it as well.
Even this season, there were several players who were seen as rotational talents at best and were not given much confidence in retaining their place beyond this season. One such player was Fermin Lopez, a 20-year-old talent from Barcelona Atletic whose stay at Barça has never been a consistency.
Loans have been a recurring reality for him, and many felt at the start of the season that the player would not survive beyond this campaign. In order to raise the funds that they need to, Barcelona could have potentially even sold him without much hesitancy.
However, as SPORT has highlighted, Lopez has managed to turn his situation around completely. In the few chances that he has been given to prove himself this season, he has delivered at a high level. Moreover, perhaps what has been even more impressive has been his commitment to Barcelona even when he has not been given opportunities.
Through the various injuries that have come this season, Fermin Lopez has been awarded a fair few chances. By himself, he has done wonders to instill confidence in the team and prove to the coaches that he belongs at Barcelona. However, there was one aspect in particular within the pre-match plannings that has helped the 20-year-old transform his game into an evolved state of itself.
The video analysis and preparations made for each individual player have reportedly been a major positive for the player. By reviewing and previewing these videos, it appears that Fermin Lopez was helped by his coaches at Barcelona to fix the micro-adjustments that he needed to begin performing at the optimal level.
Whether it be against Napoli in the Champions League, or against Atletico Madrid in La Liga, the Barcelona midfielder showed up and left his mark. With goals in crucial encounters and in key moments, Fermin Lopez became a difference maker for Xavi in the Barcelona first team.
Now, he is no longer seen as a disposable player who can be used to generate additional funds. Instead, he is seen as a starlet with incredible amounts of quality and an ability to make a difference when needed. Barcelona needs quality players to rely on for the future, and Lopez is regarded as being one of them now.
