Joao Felix reflects on Barcelona spell, dismisses Real Madrid transfer: “I would be the biggest traitor in football”

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·28 September 2026

Joao Felix reflects on Barcelona spell, dismisses Real Madrid transfer: “I would be the biggest traitor in football”

The 2023-24 season may have been difficult for Barcelona, but it was special for Joao Felix. The Portuguese fulfilled a lifelong dream by joining the Catalan giants on loan from Atletico Madrid, and while he failed to secure a permanent stay, he still has very fond memories of his time at the club.

In recent days, Felix has been reflecting on that spell in Catalonia. Speaking in an interview with Diario AS (via MD), the Al-Nassr forward was asked about his time at Barcelona, which was special for both him and his family.

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“I have very good memories. In the end we couldn’t win anything, but just playing for Barcelona already made me very happy. Obviously, going on loan is not the same as being owned. Being a player for the club, everything is different. In a year anything can happen, be very good or very bad, high or low, but I’m very happy to have worn the Barça shirt, which was a childhood dream of mine, my father and my brother. It was a source of pride.”

Felix: I would never join Real Madrid

Felix has been in excellent form since he joined fellow Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, and given that he is still only 26, it is inevitable that he returns to Europe in the future. But even if that is the case, he made it clear that Real Madrid would never be his destination, citing his strong loyalty to Barcelona.

“I would be the biggest traitor in football (if I joined Real Madrid). No, no, no. I really enjoyed being in Barcelona. Well, yes, I missed Real Madrid, but I’m proud to have played for Barcelona.”

While it is unlikely at this stage, Felix will hope that he can follow in the footsteps of Joao Cancelo, who signed alongside him for Barcelona in 2023. The defender completed a permanent move in the summer, so there could still be hope for Felix to end up at the Spotify Camp Nou once again.