The arrival of Vitor Roque to FC Barcelona is generating a lot of speculation about his role in his new team. The Brazilian is going to join a team that has not been playing at its best in the last few weeks, and his incorporation can significantly improve some aspects of Xavi’s cavalry.
However, as already reported, Roque is not expected to be a starter in his early days at the club. The Catalans are aware of how much the fans can be demanding from a player, especially one who is arriving with so many expectations, and thus will try not to expose Roque to high pressure.
Both Xavi and Deco have been professional footballers, and they understand too well that adapting to a new club and country takes time.
This will be particularly true for the Brazilian as he is still only 18 years of age, and Barcelona has an environment that mostly demands immediate gratification. Thus, Roque will face minimal pressure from inside the club.
Still, according to SPORT, there is one particular demand that Barcelona expect Roque to fulfill at all costs, i.e., give his all when pressing the opponents. This is one aspect that Xavi is not willing to compromise upon, as the entire defensive structure of his system is built on this pressing.
Xavi had identified high pressing as a core ingredient of his philosophy, but his team has been rather lax in this aspect in the last few weeks. Thus, if Roque comes and adds a few goals to the team, this would be the best-case scenario. However, Xavi and his staff will only be expecting Roque to be fully committed to pressing the rivals off the ball.
Roque’s physique and power can be particularly helpful in this regard, as it can force opponents to go long and avoid intricate build-ups to the Barcelona goal.
