Saving Private Roberto: Sergi's struggles must be assisted
There’s a lot of the season left to go and everything is still possible, so it is a bad idea to write him off completely
“I watch a lot of games and I don’t see a better right back than Sergi Roberto. At least for Barcelona,” said Luis Enrique after the Catalans thrashed Sporting Gijon 5-0 at El Molinon in September.
The Reus born player had a fine game which confirmed the valour of the coach’s bid to turn him from a midfielder into a right back.
Five months later, Sergi Roberto is no good in this position. At least according to the opinion that surrounds Barcelona, which has reached the opinion that he should return to his natural position.
It’s true that his performances have not been at the level they should be for the team, but Barcelona have not played well either. Beyond the errors he has made this has not helped him keep growing in his position.
There’s a lot of the season left to go and everything is still possible, so it is a bad idea to write him off completely as a right back. The obligation of the technical team is to protect the player so he can find his best version again. This is the responsibility of Luis Enrique.
In this sense the continuous changes made by the Asturian in the centre of the pitch has not helped, changing the players whom Sergi Roberto links up with.
Ivan Rakitic is who he shared most minutes with in La Liga. Of the 16 games he has started, the Croatian has been in front of him nine times, over half. The rest have been shared between Andre Gomes (4), Rafinha (2) and Denis Suarez (1), as right interior.
The numbers with Rakitic show that they get on well, and Barcelona end up winning Of the nine matches, six ended in victory, three draws and no defeats.
