Pau Victor was one of Barcelona’s several departures in the summer and a part of the administration’s plans to return to the financial 1:1 rule.
While the objective was not reached in the end, the player has found a new home with regular playing time.
The young forward is now contractually linked to SC Braga where he has racked up six starts and eight appearances in the league already. In that duration, he has a goal to show and averages 1.1 shots per game.
While Victor did not play a major role for Hansi Flick last season, he was crucial as a rotational option and was a regular off the bench for the Catalans. His departure, however, was the best solution for all parties involved at the time.
Pau Victor opens up on Barcelona stint
Speaking to the media in a recent interview, the former Barcelona player opened up on his time at the club, the pressure, the highs and the lows and revealed several honest truths about the team’s previous campaign.
He began, however, by addressing how the pressure to perform at the club is sky high, mandating the need to work separately on one’s mental health.
“I am working with a psychologist to be more competitive, a better leader and not to be affected by the pressure. [At Barcelona it was multiplied] by 20.”
He then looked back on his time at the club and how it was a dream come true for him.
“[I got to] fulfil the dream of playing with my idols.”
Victor also remembered how he found out that Barcelona were considering his signing and how it was a massive moment for him personally.
“One day my agent called me and told me that Barça wanted to buy me to stay in the first team and I started crying.”
He even opened up on the registration struggles he had to put up with at the club and how it was a difficult period for him.
“There were times when we had a hard time with the registrations but the club always gave us confidence.”
On the defeat to Inter Milan
The young striker was then asked to reveal what the most difficult time for the club was last season, and his response unsurprisingly pointed to the defeat against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League.
“In the locker room, everyone was crying because of the helplessness of thinking that we had done it. When they tied and scored the goal in extra time… that was very hard. We thought we were already in the final.”
He then spoke out on how Inter Milan’s late equaliser after Raphinha’s seemingly assured winner took the steam out of the team.
“When they levelled scores with us and we went to the talk for extra time, you already notice that things are different.”
The player then recalled Hansi Flick’s message to the dressing room on the night and how they fell short despite his advice.
“Flick told us that we were superior, that we should continue doing the same and that things were going to improve. But even if you want to continue, neither mentally nor physically are you the same.”
Finally, he acknowledged that Barcelona would have given PSG a stiff battle for the crown had they made it to the final.
“[We would have] competed a lot.”
Source: SPORT
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