It hasn’t arrived yet. And he will do it as a newlywed because he got married before flying to Montjuïc. But Vitor Roque, a young Brazilian forward (18 years old), who will land this week in Barcelona, is expected as the “hope”, as Xavi described him, to solve one of the problems that plague the team right now. He lacks forcefulness, aim or, in the coach’s words, “effectiveness.” That’s where points and calm have been slipping away from Barça, which opens the doors of its locker room to a ‘nine’ that will set foot in Europe for the first time without a prior intermediate step.
Years ago, Brazilians arrived later. And stopping before the big clubs. Now, that process has accelerated. Romario He was cradled by Cruyff (1993) when he was 27 years old, coming from the cold and inhospitable Eindhoven, especially for a Brazilian, where he played for PSV. Identical route traced Ronaldo (1996) after his time at the same PSV before Bobby Robson enjoyed a Martian (19 years old) at the Camp Nou.
TO Rivaldoand in full Teresa Herrera, he was taken by Barça (1997) from A Coruña, where he shone with Deportivo to hand him over to Sergeant Van Gaal at the age of 25. Ronaldinho He graduated from the French school of Paris SG (2003) to spin the virtuous circle of Laporta’s Barça (mandate I) at 23.
Nobody, therefore, as young as Vitor Roque, a striker who uses the same route that compatriots such as Vinicius (it cost 45 million in 2017) and Rodrygo (another 45 in 2019) when they signed for Madrid. But with a substantial difference with them. Both, to a greater or lesser extent, went through Castilla, the white reserve team, something that will not happen in their case.
From Brazil to Montjuïc
There is, therefore, no prior customs in Europe as if they were the Brazilians of the last century (Romário, Ronaldo or Rivaldo) or of the current century (Ronaldinho). If anything Neymar (2013) when Sandro Rosell He took him directly from Santos, where he was already considered a world star. But the now Al-Hilal player was then 21 years old when he became submissive sportingly under the leadership of Messi and the technical direction of Tata Martino at the Camp Nou.
Furthermore, at 18 years old, Vitor Roque (VR) arrives much younger than them. Without experience in mother clubs nor the possibility of joining Barça Atlètic beforehand because 81 games, scored 28 goals, gave 10 assists, despite his ankle injury that kept him out for almost two months.
“Vitor Roque is a hope because he is a great signing. He can contribute a lot to us. Work, goals, sacrifice… I hope he adapts as quickly as possible”
Barça coach
And in a year, a direct trip to Europe, with all that that implies. In the good and, of course, the bad. Travel to Xavi’s Barça, in need of accuracy more than ever because it is fourth in the League (it has 38 points, the same as Atlético, third) and also scores fewer goals than last season (34 now compared to 38 in the last year) longing for the best version of the now melancholic Lewandowski.
“Come hungry”
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But Xavi, careful as he always is with young people, wants to be prudent and not burden VR with responsibility. Even though he is aware that this young man can have a revitalizing effect on his dull front. “He could be very important for us in this second part of the season,” he revealed, emphasizing that the former Athletico Paranaense player, who got married in October, “has soul and arrives hungry.”
Precisely the values that he blamed on his team in the biggest fight ever. It was at half-time between Barça and Almería. “It is a hope because he is a great signing. He can contribute a lot to us. Work, goals, sacrifice… I hope he adapts as quickly as possible,” he said.