Barcelona have made some questionable decisions over the past few years.
Without listing them all out individually the rot set in under the Bartomeu regime, but Joan Laporta and his board have hardly covered themselves in glory at times, notwithstanding the situation they found themselves in when taking residence.
Once again during the summer transfer window, there were rumours that suggested Fermin Lopez might well be sacrificed in the interests of financial fair play and for the plain fact that the club
are very well stocked in midfield.
The tigerish youngster showed against Valencia what a short-sighted decision that would’ve been on the board’s part.
It wasn’t just his goals – which have always been in his locker – that made him a standout performer, but his astonishing work-rate.
He has every right to feel aggrieved when left out for others, given that there’s rarely a game in which he plays where he doesn’t expend significant effort in his attempts to help earn the points for the Blaugranes.
Yes, he isn’t the archetypal Barcelona midfielder, but that can’t be used as a stick to beat him with. The intensity with which he plays the game for example is beyond question.
Frankly, he is as combative as Gavi and scores more goals than Dani Olmo and Frenkie de Jong, even if one does accept that he perhaps isn’t as technically gifted as some of those mentioned.
It may be that he, along with the likes of Marc Casado and the returning Marc Bernal have to accept that their employment in the starting line-up is sporadic, simply because it offers Hansi Flick superb strength in depth in that area of the pitch.
For the club to even consider Fermin’s sale again, however, shows a remarkable lack of understanding of just how important he is to this emerging side.
Some games certainly call for a more robust presence in midfield, and if he’s adding to the scoresheet when so doing, what possible reason do the board have to deny the manager Fermin’s particular skillset?
Of course, should finances continue to prove problematic, harsh economical decisions will need to be made, just as when Leo Messi and others left, but if there’s any chance whatsoever that other players can be sacrificed before Fermin, that has to be the way to go at this point.
