Flawless. Eric García’s Barcelona debut could not have gone any better. The returning la Masia graduate put a stellar outing together, proving his doubters wrong right off the very start. It’s still early doors, but it seems like he could be the reliable presence that we were asking for in the defence.
Him starting came as a bit of a surprise to many. After all, he had only just returned from a tiring summer where he was instrumental for Spain in both the Euros and the Olympics. Ronald Araújo had been decent in preseason, too, so the scepticism was understandable. Nevertheless, Ronald Koeman made it clear that he counted on García, and rightly so.
Throughout the entire game, Eric displayed admirable composure. His positioning was tremendous, while his alertness was vital in numerous instances. García proved an indispensable asset in Barça’s press, constantly closing down the space and following his man as closely as feasible. And when on the ball, the 20-year-old kept bothering Real Sociedad with his impeccable line-breaking passes. It was nothing less than a full marks performance.
Future Captain?
Undeniably, Eric García’s the most talented centre-back on our roster. In the time that he worked with the youngster, Pep Guardiola managed to shape him as a player, and it’s a beastly version of the Spaniard that has arrived at the Camp Nou. Consistency has let him down in the past, but should that disappear from his game, there will be no pushing García out of the team. It’s now up to the coach to find the ideal partner for him, whether that’s Piqué, Araújo, Mingueza or Lenglet.
From the moment he arrived, it was clear that Eric García was one of the smartest signings that the club had completed in recent times. Not to get ahead of ourselves, but his debut last night could be quite revealing. Brilliant performance from a player destined for the pinnacle of football.
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