Former defender opens up about harsh reality of playing at Barcelona: ‘Not easy to get there’ | OneFootball

Former Barcelona defender Juan Miranda has opened up about his time at the Catalan club and the challenges he faced while trying to establish himself in the first team.

Miranda joined Barcelona’s youth academy in 2014 as a promising left-back and worked his way through the club’s youth system before eventually making his senior debut in 2017. 

However, despite the excitement around his promotion to the first team, his time with the senior squad was limited.

The Spanish defender managed just four appearances before being sent out on several loan spells. Eventually, Barcelona decided to sell him permanently to Real Betis in 2021.

Now 26, Miranda has looked back on his Barcelona experience in an interview with SPORT, reflecting on the memories and lessons from his early career.

Learning from the Barcelona dressing room

During his time at Barcelona, Miranda had the opportunity to train alongside some of the best players in the world. 

He explained that the experience of sharing the dressing room with such stars left a lasting impression on him.

Speaking about his promotion to the first team under coach Ernesto Valverde, Miranda remembered how important that moment was in his career.

“It was a stage in my life that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. Not just playing for Barça, but the day-to-day life, living with the best in the world. 

“I was an 18-year-old kid who absorbed everything that the dressing room had to offer.

“And the truth is that I will always be grateful, especially to the dressing room and to Ernesto, for how they treated me. 

“It’s not easy to get there and be treated like one of the team. I’m super grateful. I tried to learn every minute from each of them, but I was very young. Now it’s different. 

“I learned a lot, and I was lucky to coincide with such a great generation.”

A difficult moment early in his career

Juan Miranda made only four appearances for Barcelona. (Photo by Monika Majer/Getty Images)

One of the most challenging moments Miranda experienced at Barcelona came during a match against Levante, when he was substituted at halftime after starting the game.

Looking back, the defender admitted that the situation was difficult for him at such a young age, especially while trying to prove himself at one of the biggest clubs in the world.

“It was difficult, to be honest. It was one of my first professional games at Barça. But that’s football and that’s Barça.

“You have to be at the top, be number one in every game, compete and win. That’s what Barça demands of you. 

“Win every game. But yes, when you’re 18, and especially at the beginning, it shocks you a little. 

“I learned a lot, the players were very close to me, Ernesto too, and I’m really grateful for that and for that opportunity. It wasn’t easy to get playing time with the team we had. 

“It wasn’t easy to get into that team because every position was occupied by international players. It was a team of stars and I was very young.”

On Barcelona’s current generation

Miranda was also asked about the current Barcelona squad under coach Hansi Flick, particularly the new generation of young players emerging from the academy.

He pointed out that today’s young players appear to play with remarkable maturity despite their age.

“Barça now has very good fullbacks. I follow them closely, both Gerard Martin and Balde, and well, they’re at different stages. 

“It’s true that when I was there, it was very difficult to break into the team because they won practically everything. Now, at this Barça, it’s also difficult.

“They play with a maturity that makes it seem like they’ve been at the top for years. I would probably have a hard time with Balde and Gerard.”