‘Barcelona only have 13 professional players’ – Arturo Vidal

 

Barcelona midfielder, Arturo Vidal, has hit out at the Blaugrana board, insisting that the club only have 13 professional players and the rest are youngsters.

 

Barcelona’s 2019/20 season ended in embarrassment after they were dumped out of the Champions League following an 8-2 defeat against Bayern Munich and also losing the La Liga title to Real Madrid.

 

According to Vidal, the Barcelona hierarchy have failed to build a competitive squad, adding that every club has 23 professional players fighting for a place in the starting XI.

 

The Chilean international believes Barca need to change a lot of things in order to catch their rivals.

 

“Barcelona have done things that do not fit with a team at the top level,” Vidal told Daniel Habif’s YouTube channel.

 

“In the end, you realise this when you face an organised team, a team that has a winning mentality, with players that are physically prepared and that has a very strong game plan.

 

“That takes its toll when you are weak in the head and in energy, that happened to us.

 

“Barcelona first has to change the way they think because football has evolved a lot.

 

“Nowadays, football is more physical, more about strength and speed, and technical ability can sometimes come second.

 

“A club, which I think is the best in the world, cannot have 13 professional players and the rest youngsters.

 

“Not because they do not deserve to be there, but they’ve to compete with the best and with who has to play.

 

“Every club has 23 players fighting for a place, improving and getting better every day.

 

“But when they do not progress when you think you can always win with your DNA, that is when you’re mistaken.”