Barcelona Sporting Director Deco has not denied that they are debating the future of forward Vitor Roque, but did make a public complaint about the constant leaks coming out of the club.
It’s been an issue at various points in the Barcelona-sphere of late, and last season a narrative emerged that Xavi Hernandez was attempting to find out where leaks in the dressing room were coming from.
Speaking to Movistar+, as carried by Sport, Deco was asked about Roque, and sidestepped the question.
“It is normal, when there is no football, that there is news. It is very difficult without football in ten days. Barca generates a lot of debate.”
🚨 Vítor Roque is a concrete target for FC Porto, and Barcelona, in turn, is interested in Porto's winger Pepe, who has a release clause of €75m. However, Barcelona does not want to pay that much and is offering Vítor Roque as part of the deal. @abolapt 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/VnXYty5WOU
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) May 14, 2024
Barcelona’s last match against Girona again left plenty of doubts about the project, which will continue with Xavi Hernandez, after his U-turn. Since, the Blaugrana have struggled to project a positive narrative.
“What we are going to do… The debate has to be internal, we cannot be discussing what we are going to do. The future is thought about at home, not in the press or the newspapers. There are few people who hold responsibility in the football area. There is me, the president, Joan Laporta, the coach… If it doesn’t come from these three, I don’t know where things come from. We are used to it.”
After the game at Montjuic, Deco, Laporta, loan manager Bojan Krkic and Director Joan Soler were all seen leaving around the same time, two hours after the match had finished. Alejandro Echevarria, who does not have a position at the club, but continues to be involved in decisions, also seems to be present during many meetings, and was there when Barcelona met with Xavi to decide his continuity. The political nature of Barcelona means that shaping the narrative often involves leaks to the press.