Where did it go wrong? Analyzing Vitor Roque’s failed Barcelona stint | OneFootball

When FC Barcelona announced the signing of Vitor Roque, it was widely assumed that they had secured the signature of Brazil’s biggest talent of his generation, alongside Endrick (who moved to Real Madrid), and that he was the player set to lead the line at the club in the future.

The 20-year-old striker was initially expected to join Barcelona in the summer of the 2024/25 season and be part of the first team, but the club used Gavi’s ACL injury to bring his arrival forward to January of the previous season.

“In hindsight, one wonders if Roque’s career at Barcelona would have played out differently had he arrived in Spain from Brazil as originally planned this summer and become part of the team under Hansi Flick. The German coach certainly seems to know how to get the best out of his players.

With Xavi Hernández, however, Roque struggled to convince the coach. He initially impressed off the bench, scoring in consecutive games and celebrating like a player who had sacrificed a lot to be at the club—which he had.

However, not long after, Roque received a red card for a reckless tackle, and from that moment on, he struggled to earn Xavi’s trust for regular minutes. By the end of the season, things had turned sour, and the Brazilian no longer seemed keen on staying at the club.

Roque was subsequently loaned out to Real Betis for the entire campaign, where he had a solid season. In 33 appearances across all competitions, the 20-year-old scored seven goals and provided two assists before his stint was cut short.

Palmeiras, however, made an offer of around €25.5 million plus add-ons to sign Roque from Barcelona permanently, giving the Catalan club an opportunity to recover almost all of the initial money they spent to bring the Brazilian in

For a club that prides itself on developing young talent, Barcelona must acknowledge that they did not handle the Vitor Roque situation in the best possible manner. Signing players from abroad, especially from outside Europe, is vastly different from promoting talent from La Masia.

In all fairness, Barcelona had good reason to sign Roque given his potential. During his stint at Athletico Paranaense, he played 81 games, scoring 28 goals and providing 11 assists—an impressive return for a teenager.

Where Barcelona went wrong with Roque was expecting him to make an immediate impact upon arriving in La Liga. The Brazilian never truly adapted to European football, so it’s no surprise that he chose to return to Brazil at the first opportunity.

Once destined for stardom, Roque now faces a small roadblock in his career. He earned a senior cap for Brazil at just 18, and during his spell at Betis, his potential was evident. With more experience under his belt, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him return to Europe in the future.

Roque’s spell at Barcelona serves as a stark reminder that sometimes, the dream of a lifetime can turn into a nightmare. It’s unfortunate that things unfolded the way they did between the two parties, but for now, we wait to see how the Brazilian develops and whether he makes a return to Europe in the future.