Argentine international and Ajax Amsterdam standout defender Nicolás Tagliafico has spoken out after he was left frustrated when he missed a chance to make a January switch to Spanish giants Barcelona.
? Tagliafico, tras su no poder fichar por el Barça: “Yo estoy hace cuatro años en el club y he jugado con la cabeza rota, con gafas protectoras, al 70%… Y en este momento que me llega una oportunidad irrechazable y no me dejan, noto que me decepcionan”https://t.co/hGblPTNDek
— Mundo Deportivo (@mundodeportivo) February 4, 2022
In an interview with Spanish outlet AS (cited by Mundo Deportivo), the Argentine unloaded on the situation and made his stance clear after feeling the Dutch giants failed in their task of supporting his chance to make a dream move to one of the titans of European football.
“I have been at the club for four years and I have played with a broken head, with protective glasses, at 70%… I said that my ankle was swollen and they asked me if I could be there and I said yes, that I was not at the 100% but obviously if you need me I will never say no, I have given everything, every time they asked me, I was there. Also off the field, there were good opportunities and I always sided with the interests of the club”
“And at this moment when an irrefutable opportunity comes to me and they don’t let me, I notice that they disappoint me, I understand that the situations weren’t easy, that we are in January, but in the end, it ends up harming both of us, both me because I can’t achieve what I want and the club because it keeps me. They understood me, they have their reasons but it’s a shame, I feel that opportunities cannot be missed and this was a unique opportunity, to be able to go to a club like Barça, for me it was a dream opportunity and they did not help me, after all. There was also no clarity from the beginning to tell me that they were not going to help me. It disappoints me because I have the feeling that my professionalism, always training well, hurt me, never give a problem, have good behavior every day. It is my mentality and my way of being and I always go that way, but I see that sometimes it adds to you, and on other occasions, it penalizes you and makes you wonder if it is not better to look only for one’s interests and have a different attitude for benefit own.”
Barcelona to be exposed at the back?
Now that it has become clear that a deal for Nicolás Tagliafico, Barcelona could well be made to pay for not following that interest up for another target as concerns continue to grow surrounding a lack of options at left-back for the remainder of the season.
BARCELONA, SPAIN – DECEMBER 18: Jordi Alba of FC Barcelona controls the ball whilst under pressure from Helibelton Palacios of Elche CF during the LaLiga Santander match between FC Barcelona and Elche CF at Camp Nou on December 18, 2021 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Though Xavi has the utmost faith in veteran Spanish defender Jordi Alba, he remains the only real option at left-back. Should injury befall the Spaniard, the club would likely have to turn to Sergiño Dest to deputize on the left side of the defense.
The only other option in the role comes through 18-year-0ld La Masia graduate Álex Balde who is currently out injured. Barcelona may have done incredibly well to bring in a trio of attacking reinforcements in January through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Adama Traoré, and Ferran Torres, but they’re running a fine line when it comes to their situation in defense.
