Bartra on when he decided to leave Barça

Marc Bartra took a ‘break’ from his holidays to speak to Radio Marca, where he revealed the moment last season when he realised it was best to leave Barcelona. 

“I returned from playing a game with Spain [against England] and I was really happy [about my performance], but I wasn’t called up for the Clasico. In that moment I realised that maybe I shouldn’t be so insistent with Barça,” the new Borussia Dortmund defender explained. 

On his relationship with Luis Enrique, the centre-back bit his tongue: “I don’t want to go into details. The coaching team and the president demonstrated that they wanted me at Barça. But it’s one thing to be there and another to feel valued. There were moments in the season when I didn’t count at all.” 

However, as he continued, there were signs that Bartra does hold some resentment to towards the Asturian coach: “When I made my debut under Pep [Guardiola], I felt his confidence. Tito [Vilanova] decided to put me in the first team. With Tata [Martino] I played practically 30 games which gave me the chance to play for the national team. 

“I was on an upwards ascent until Luis Enrique arrived. I started well with him, but later I stopped counting. It was a tough 18 months for me.” 

Meanwhile, Bartra didn’t fuel talk of a return to Camp Nou one day: “I’m only thinking about Dortmund and making my debut there. I have a four-year contract. The best way to have a good future is to think about the present. I’m going to give my all. I’ve been transferred. I’m not in no-man’s land. Borussia didn’t accept a buy-back option.” 

Bartra also said he knows little about Samuel Umiti, although he had a warning for the France international: “It’s not easy to be a centre-back at Barça. You need to be physical, quick and good at bringing the ball out from the back.”