What is going on with young midfielder Sergi Samper at Barça B?
What has happened with Sergi Samper? That is the million dollar question at Barça B. The midfielder, third captain of the team, has seen his role in the team diminish in recent weeks to the point that Patric, a right-back in theory, has taken his place in the middle of the pitch.
Samper, who has played for the first team four times this season, didn't play against Tenerife because he was with Spain U21s, but he enjoyed just four minutes of the draw with Sporting de Gijon at the weekend, replacing Alen Halilovic.
The name of the central midfielder is one of those most talked about in terms of first team progression. From the Escuela into the B team, his growth has been remarkable season on season. However, with the appointment of Jordi Vinyals, Barça B have opted for a more solid midfield.
Patric has been pushed on, which has led to a style of play which doesn't necessarily suit the characteristics of a player like Samper. It is difficult to understand, though, how a player with Samper's virtues is not being used in a side who are two points from safety in Segunda A.
We will see if Samper's situation if just a temporary one, but it is clear that Barça B need to return to their best before the end of the season. Extracting Samper's best could be key to survival from now until then.
