It would appear that a new domino effect is now expected to kick into action at FC Barcelona. The Catalan club is set to make technical changes at the head coach position, and it could breathe life into a whole new list of possibilities. One such possibility at Barcelona could be the emergence of a new breed of prominence for different players.
During Xavi Hernandez’s reign at the club, Brazilian prodigy Vitor Roque became a prime example of an underused asset. Brought in from Athletico Paranaense during the January window, instead of letting him arrive as per the natural timeline of the summer window, he was expected to be a significant boost to a team that was struggling in terms of getting results.
However, what followed was hardly even close to initial expectations. Roque ended up being heavily under-utilised and this became a major cause of concern for the Barcelona higher-ups and fans alike. Now, on the other hand, it would appear that Xavi’s departure has opened up a new pathway.
According to Fabrizio Romano (h/t Reshad Rahman), the appointment of Hansi Flick would be key for this. The situation of the 19-year-old forward now seems destined to change to some degree, and the appointment of the former Bayern Munich coach could become an important factor in changing Roque’s fate.
The club now feels that a change is in order for the Brazilian youngster, and Flick’s arrival would possibly be very positive for him. Moreover, the Barcelona board has already talked about this specific topic with the German coach and discussed it as well, adding more substance to their positive feelings.
During Xavi’s time at the club, the South American forward barely had any sort of prominence. He played a total of 338 minutes at FC Barcelona during the half of the 2023/2024 season that he was available for.
Moreover, these minutes were divided across 15 different outings, and he never even featured for La Blaugrana in the UEFA Champions League or the Spanish Supercup.