Barcelona Transfer News: Douglas Used to Cry 'Every Day' During Blaugrana Stay

Sporting Gijon full-back Douglas has revealed he used to cry every day during his time with Barcelona.

The defender endured a testing couple of seasons at the Camp Nou after signing from Sao Paolo in 2014. He agreed to join Sporting on loan in the previous summer window, and speaking to El Comercio (h/t AS), he has revealed how distraught he was with how things panned out at Barcelona.

“In Barcelona I had some tough times with injuries,” he said. “I'd come home crying every day.”

Indeed, Douglas made a total of three La Liga appearances for Barcelona, and even if he does shine on loan at Sporting, it’s extremely difficult to see him having any future at the football club.

According to Transfermarkt.co.uk, he suffered four separate injuries in his two years at Barca.

When he did depart late in the transfer window, Spanish football journalist Sergi Dominguez suggested the Brazilian wouldn’t be missed for too long in Catalonia:

Leaving the Camp Nou was reportedly a galling experience for the player. According to Ivan San Antonio of Sport, Douglas refused to sign the loan agreement initially and then wouldn’t leave the club offices; he is said to have eventually had his mind changed by lawyers on both counts.

During his time with Sporting, it was reported that Douglas had suffered more injury misfortune. AS (h/t BBC Sport’s Oluwashina Okeleji) had stated the 26-year-old had strained his backside after falling asleep in an awkward position on the team coach.

However, the Brazilian denied the knock was quite that comical. “That wasn't right at all,” he said. “It was just an overstretched muscle and [all it needed was] a massage. I was training the next day, and it was written that I was injured when I wasn't. That saddens me.”

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Since moving to Gijon, the minutes haven’t flowed for Douglas. Indeed, he’s only started one La Liga match, against Atletico Madrid, and made one substitute appearance so far, against parent club Barcelona. Sporting lost both of those games 5-0.

The Asturian side look set for a relegation scrap again this term, too. After losing their last five games in a row, they’re currently languishing down in 18th position in the table.