5 Things Sergi Roberto Must Do to Become a Regular at Barcelona

Sergi Roberto has a footballing pedigree that most other players would love to have. He was raised in La Masia, has been a leader for Spain youth teams and was a standout in every youth category growing up.

However, the 22-year-old has yet to cement his place at the Camp Nou, and his future at the Catalan club is starting to come into question. His childhood dream of being a Blaugrana star can still be realized, but Roberto must do a few things if he is to be a regular face in the Barcelona line-up.

In this article, we will take a look at the five things Roberto must do to get a consistent place in the Barcelona squad, as well as discussing what the chances are of him reaching that goal.

As always, feel free to get involved in the discussion in the comment section below, and tell us how you think Roberto’s future at Barcelona will unfold!

Improve His Work Rate

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Like most other Barcelona players, Roberto is all too aware of the importance of defending as a team. While he is not afraid of getting involved on the defensive end of things, his work rate still has room for improvement.

At the moment, the Catalan midfielder is still learning how to balance going forward and when to track back. He seems to be getting more comfortable as the months pass by, but his defensive abilities are not there yet.

If Roberto can show that he can be a defensive strength when on the pitch, he would likely see a major increase in his playing time.

For now, his weak tackling ability, and the fact that he is still learning how to track back properly, means that manager Luis Enrique will think hard before just throwing him on the pitch. With a defensive improvement, Roberto will see more minutes, and that is exactly the area that most young midfielders need to understand in today’s footballing culture.

Become More of a Creator

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One area of Roberto’s game that is already seeing improvements is his ability to feature as a creator in the middle of the pitch. With players like Xavi nearing the end of their Barcelona career, Roberto could benefit greatly from learning how to orchestrate play.

During his time in the Barcelona youth ranks, Roberto was a very good creator. He was able to pick out deadly passes for team-mates and wreak havoc on opposing midfielders. Now that he is playing against much better competition, his passing game has not been at the same level, but that doesn’t mean he cannot find that lost part of himself.

Above anything else, if Roberto can find a way to consistently create chances for his team-mates then he will certainly be handed plenty of playing time.

Roberto has nearly everything that a Barcelona midfielder needs. He can keep possession, pass under pressure and isn’t afraid to take chances near the box. However, it is the ability to place pinpoint passes through tough angles that he needs to show he is capable of doing regularly.

Find a Way to Score Some Goals

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While we are on the subject, Roberto also needs to find his goalscoring boots if he wants to play more often.

During his time with Spain’s youth teams, the Catalan was a regular scoring threat who always seemed to be able to pop up with an occasional goal at the perfect time. That has been lost since joining the first team, but it can return.

He has yet to score a league goal for the first team and has rarely looked like he will. Though he loves getting involved in the attack, his eye for goal just isn’t there right now, and it is something that Roberto needs to bring back.

Truthfully, Barcelona midfielders are not the type of players that will score a lot of goals. They are more creators and facilitators, but they should also be able to find the back of the net when the opportunity arises.

The likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta have never been major scorers in their illustrious careers. However, when they have scored, it has always been a huge deal. If Roberto can model that in his own play then Enrique will surely give him more chances in the starting line-up.

Play with More Consistency

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When it really comes down to it, Roberto needs to show that he can get the job done on a regular basis. During his time with the first team, he has been hit or miss, and that has to change if he wants to succeed at the Camp Nou.

Of course, finding consistency comes with more playing time, but Roberto has to prove right now that he even deserves the regular minutes.

When Enrique hands him a rare start, he has got to make the most of it. Every big showing he puts in will only raise his chances of seeing the pitch again soon. Yet every mediocre night moves him closer to an eventual move away from the Camp Nou.

Roberto must show the world just who he is. With familiarity comes consistency, and with consistency, he will have the chance to become a regular in the Barcelona first-team squad.

Cement His Identity as a Midfielder

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Great players understand just who they are as a footballer. They know their strengths and weaknesses and are always looking for ways to improve. Roberto may still be a very young player, but now is the time to decide just what his identity will be.

As of now, he is simply a bright midfielder. He can pass the ball well and read the game quite well for his age. However, it is hard to judge just what type of midfielder he is today.

Sure, he can have his moments as a creator like Xavi, and sometimes, he does a fine job of pulling defenders out of position like Iniesta, but it isn’t consistent. It is time for the real Sergi Roberto to stand up.

Over the next few years, Barcelona fans will have the joy of watching Roberto mature into a true professional. During that time, he will grow and develop his game further, but it is the areas that he perfects that will determine how his career at the Camp Nou plays out.

It will take a lot for the La Masia graduate to become a regular face in the line-up, but he has the potential to one day have his name chanted by the Camp Nou faithful as long as he continues to push himself at a high level.

Can Sergi Roberto become a Barcelona starter? What must he do to reach that level? Leave your thoughts and comments below!