Deco talks Yamal, Olmo, Messi, Ronaldinho, Flick, Xavi, de la Fuente – ‘Problem is not him’ | OneFootball

Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco, has addressed the recent injury to Lamine Yamal, emphasizing that Spain’s national team head coach, Luis de la Fuente, should not be held responsible.

Yamal had to leave Spain’s training camp during the October international break due to physical discomfort and the incident has ignited discussions regarding the demanding schedule players face in today’s football landscape.

In a recent interview, Deco expressed his perspective on the situation. He stated that the root of the problem lies not with de la Fuente, who is merely trying to assemble the best squad for international competitions.

“The problem is not in De la Fuente. He does his job, he is the coach and he tries to call up the best players.

“Something has to be done with the calendar. All national team matches are official. Before, there were not so many,” he said as quoted by SPORT.

Deco highlighted that the current match calendar is significantly more congested than in the past, noting that young players like Yamal, Gavi, and Pedri are being exposed to an excessive number of games, which poses risks to their physical well-being.

“It is clear that young players are subject to many matches. Too much. Also Gavi or Pedri, but not only ours. It seems that we are risking our lives in every game.

“We have to take care of Lamine, he is still in the process of training, but if we individualize we will be unfair to the others,” he noted.

Not comparing with Lionel Messi

Lamine Yamal is doubtful for the Sevilla clash. (Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)

Furthermore, Deco refrained from making direct comparisons between Yamal and legendary figures such as Lionel Messi.

While he acknowledged that comparisons are inevitable in a sport filled with passion and fandom, he maintained that Yamal is on his own unique path.

“There will always be comparisons because football is passion and idolatry and we cannot ask the opposite of people, but everything in its time.”

He expressed admiration for Yamal’s potential to become a significant figure at Barcelona, highlighting the importance of nurturing his talent in a supportive environment.

“Lamine is writing his own story. Leo, Johan, Iniesta or Ronaldinho had their moment.

“He has everything to be a benchmark for this club and it is wonderful to have him at home, to be able to take care of him and appreciate him,” he said.

He noted that unlike Messi, who thrived in a successful team environment, Yamal is emerging in a phase of renewal within the club.

“He has not been lucky enough to grow up in a team that was winning like Messi, but he is being part of a renewal process.”

Thoughts on Hansi Flick and Dani Olmo

Deco is impressed with Hansi Flick. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Deco expressed confidence in the team’s direction under coach Hansi Flick, recognizing the importance of maintaining a positive atmosphere among the players.

“When you see a team that enjoys, players who are happy, it’s very good,” he noted

He mentioned the upcoming challenges, particularly the crucial matches against Sevilla and Bayern Munich, as vital tests for the team as they aim to head into the Clasico as league leaders.

“We want to reach the Clasico as leaders, the match against Sevilla will be an important test before the match against Bayern.”

Regarding the signing of Dani Olmo, Deco described him as a valuable addition to the squad who can offer something different. “Olmo is a different player to what we had in the squad.”

Speaking on Xavi

Deco gave his two cents on Xavi (Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images)

Deco also downplayed the speculation surrounding Xavi’s departure from the club. He acknowledged the inevitability of both praise and criticism that comes with working at Barcelona and emphasized his focus on continuous improvement.

“When you work at Barça and you have a position of responsibility you know that you are going to receive praise and criticism”

As a sporting director, he understands the challenges, including making tough decisions about players and coaching staff. Nonetheless, he remains committed to helping Barcelona reclaim its status as a leading football club.

“I always try to improve and do things well. We believed that we had to make the change. The idea is general, it doesn’t have to do only with Flick,” he said.

“The job of a sporting director wears you out and is not pleasant because you have to change coach, tell a player that you don’t count on him.

“I have always been clear that I want to help Barça get back to where it needs to be.”

Lucky to be replaced by Messi

Deco was replaced by Messi on the latter’s debut. (Photo by Luis Bagu/Getty Images)

Reflecting on his own legacy, Deco recalls the historic moment when he was replaced by Messi during his official debut in October 2004.

He noted that both he and Ronaldinho sensed Messi’s extraordinary potential from the start.

“There are players who are touched by God and you see this from the beginning. It’s something different,” he said.

Deco fondly remembers their light-hearted conversations about Messi’s future, understanding that while they recognized his immense talent, the level of success he ultimately achieved was beyond their expectations.

“We made a lot of jokes with ‘Ronnie’. We told him that he would be Barça’s number 10 and that we would be watching him from the outside.

“We knew that he had the capacity to be something very big, but imagining everything he would do was impossible,”

“Technically, Ronaldinho is the best player I’ve ever seen. In the ability to compete and generate danger, however, I have never seen one like Messi.

“It is something that cannot be explained. It’s something different, which doesn’t happen many times,” he concluded.