18-year-old Ilaix Moriba expressed his feelings about the treatment he received from his former club Barcelona. The midfielder was speaking after his move to RB Leipzig on the deadline day of the summer transfer window.
The youngster made a €16 million move to Leipzig after not extending his contract with Barcelona. He was speaking to Marca about his feelings on how the club handled the whole situation, even banning the player from their preseason tour.
“The last few months have been the hardest of my life, we [my family] have received abusive messages but we have been able to get over it to be here today”– said Moriba after leaving Barcelona.
MORIBA UNHAPPY WITH BARCELONA TREATMENT
Moriba was another success story of La Masia as he broke into the Barcelona first team in the last season. He appeared 18 times for senior time, including 14 appearances in La Liga.
The central midfielder was praised for his performance and even managed to score a goal for his childhood club. However, things did not go as plan as he was not able to finalize a contract extension with the Blaugrana. This prompted the club to sell him to Leipzig as they did not want to lose him on a free.
However, the whole episode has left a mark on Moriba, as fans started criticizing the player for demanding more money. “They [people at the club] have said many things that are not true and we have had to keep tight-lipped because of the respect that we have for Barcelona.”– said Moriba.
The player has signed a long term contract till 2026 with Leipzig. With the departure of Marcel Sabitzer, there will be more time available for the player in the coming season. Expectations will be for him to leave behind the Barca episode and concentrate on his new club.
Do follow us on Twitter to get the latest football news and updates.
