Last season, Xavi Hernández was heavily criticized for a number of his moves at FC, but his treatment of Vitor Roque was one of the most controversial. Deco, who saw the young Brazilian forward as one of Brazil’s best prospects with a lot of goal-scoring ability, made a firm wager on him when he arrived in January. To many people’s astonishment, though, Xavi gave him very few minutes. This choice was seen with suspicion and, frequently, with criticism from fans and some sections of the media.
Vitor Roque was loaned to Real Betis to obtain experience and playing time under Manuel Pellegrini when Xavi left and Hansi Flick took over as Barça’s manager. It was hoped that the forward would be able to settle into a rhythm and show off his skills in European football in a squad that was competitive but not as demanding as Barcelona. However, the loan has not yet had the intended effect that Barça had hoped for, and the results have fallen short of expectations.
Vitor Roque has found it difficult to perform at the level he promised in Brazil at Real Betis. His performances have been patchy, characterized by clumsy moves and a lack of obvious chances to score goals. Additionally, Pellegrini and the Betis coaching staff are concerned about his poor decision-making in the opposition area. He hasn’t proven himself as an attacking reference in the limited opportunities he’s had, and the Seville club’s patience is starting to run thin.
Hansi Flick has stated unequivocally that he does not believe Vitor Roque should be called back to Barça, supporting the idea that Xavi was correct in his assessment of the young attacker. Xavi and Flick have acknowledged that his current performance is much below what a club like Barcelona would require, despite Barça’s great expectations for his development. The notion that the investment in Vitor Roque might have been too soon and that, considering the lack of results during his loan to Betis, pursuing a final exit for the Brazilian might be the best course of action is beginning to take shape in the Camp Nou offices.
Given that Vitor Roque’s exit would probably result in losses relative to the original investment made for his signing, Barça faces a financial dilemma. But since Flick is in charge and doesn’t plan on depending on the forward, the board and Deco think that allowing him to leave could be the best way to free up squad space and lessen the financial burden of a signing that hasn’t performed as promised. In a move that suggests Xavi Hernández was not entirely mistaken, Vitor Roque’s tenure at Barcelona therefore seems to be coming to an end.
