Barcelona Fringe Players Aleix Vidal and Paco Alcacer Will Go Different Ways
Sporting director Robert Fernandez spoke during Barcelona's Assembly of Club Members, held on Saturday before the team took on Granada at Camp Nou.
He ran the rule over the new signings made in the summer and mentioned, in Paco Alcacer's case, that the striker knew when he arrived that it would be very difficult to get into the team. Fernandez said, per Sport:
"The famous fourth forward, he could help us more, he knows he has to wait for his moment. I always told him that to play at Barca is very difficult but you have to be prepared. In front of him is the best centre-forward in the world, [Luis] Suarez. He's scored many goals in the top flight, I'm convinced that he will accomplish the objective of helping the team, whether he starts or not.
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At the moment, Alcacer is biding his time in the "not." The forward can rightfully question why he was brought to the club if not to play in games like the 1-0 win over Granada.
Barcelona lined up with almost their strongest available side against the Andalusians, with only Sergio Busquets rested, despite the club's impending UEFA Champions League date on Tuesday night against Manchester City.
Perhaps Luis Enrique was being cautious over his changes because he made too many against Alaves, which looked a similarly "easy" game and ended up being a banana skin. Perhaps the coach was conscious that, with Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique out, the team was already significantly weakened.
And although speaking with hindsight is easy, Suarez's bad display would also be reason for the 23-year-old to wonder if he should have started the game.
The Uruguayan was off throughout, missing a couple of easy chances, being caught offside on multiple occasions and generally having an unhappy time of it.
Alcacer was brought on for him in the final stages and did his best, with a pass to Messi that should have led to a goal, but uncharacteristically the Argentine fired over when well placed.
Luis Enrique has not been generous with the minutes he has given the forward, starting him only twice, with the longest amount of time he has been given to impress in any game just 66 minutes.
Five of his seven appearances, then, have come from the bench. He had seven minutes against Granada, nine against Celta Vigo, 18 at Sporting Gijon, 34 against Leganes and a whole 45 when Deportivo La Coruna came to Camp Nou.
In that clash, he should have netted his first goal, wasting three chances. That will be a factor in Luis Enrique's decision to limit the forward's game time—as well as some bad luck, he has also come up with some bad finishing.
The Asturian coach backed him that day, saying in his press conference:
"Forwards want to score however possible. He didn't have any luck today. The good thing is he's [scoring] in training, and it would worry me if he wasn't getting chances. Suarez struggled as well [to score his first goal]. The goal will arrive naturally. I like the reaction of the supporters [to his misses] and [how] focused he was in order to find those chances.
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Alcacer has impressed at least in terms of his work and positioning since he started in the Champions League against Borussia Monchengladbach, which was a disappointing night for him.
He was criticised in the Spanish media and mocked by Valencia supporters who don't think he should have left Mestalla this summer.
They jeered him when Barcelona headed down Spain's east coast on October 22, with one fan throwing a bottle that hit him square in the face.
Alcacer had the last laugh, though, when Barcelona emerged with a dramatic 3-2 victory, even though he didn't get to set foot on his old hunting ground as Lucho left him on the bench.
As Fernandez said, Alcacer knew that playing here wouldn't be easy. The Messi-Neymar-Suarez attack is a potent trident that never wants to rest and always wants to play, so Alcacer has to not only be prepared to wait but to stay alert and ready when necessary to fill in.
The forward has examples at the club to look at, both good and bad. In column A are Arda Turan and Sergi Roberto.
Last season the Turkish midfielder struggled to adapt to the club's way of playing and looked off the pace. This season he has been an important figure in the squad and someone the coach is starting to rely on.
Roberto, meanwhile, is someone that Alcacer already pointed out himself as someone to take note of. At his presentation after signing, he explained:
"The manager will decide what role I have. It's a long season and anything can happen. Everyone is here to add what they can to the team. Sergi Roberto is one example to follow. He started as a central midfielder and has ended up playing a number of positions — right-back, right wing. I will play where the manager decides, no problem. My position is centre forward, but if I have to adapt and play in the wing, I will. I come here with a lot of enthusiasm. I'm keen to grow as a player alongside the best in the world. It's a privilege.
"
Then there is column B, Aleix Vidal's home.
Back in September, Bleacher Report documented the defender's troubles and implored him to keep working hard to get a chance.
However, since then there have only been more negative news stories, culminating in the adductor trouble that stopped him playing in the Catalan Super Cup, just when he was about to finally get a start and a chance to impress Luis Enrique.
Sport were unsure over the seriousness of the injury and hinted it might be something Vidal was playing up because he didn't want to feature in the game. Javier Miguel reported:
"The full-back was going to be put in the squad for the Catalan Super Cup to be played on Tuesday night against Espanyol. However in the end Lucho had to strike him from the list, because of supposed muscle pain in his right leg adductor. Supposed, because during the training session he trained normally and in no moment complained about anything. But at the end he went to a physio to claim he noted a slight pain in the right leg.
From there it snowballed, between disbelief and astonishment, until Luis Enrique heard the story. He was not surprised at all, just very disappointed for the player's attitude. Their relationship is totally broken. In fact, it would not be a surprise if he no longer calls him into the squad at all.
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Playing at Barcelona should have been the peak of Vidal's career. It has turned into one of his lowest ebbs, for a combination of bad performances and this alleged bad attitude.
He did not attend the dinner organised by Luis Suarez to celebrate his European Golden Shoe, and it seems he has become an outcast at the club. The last time he played was the Alaves defeat in the third week of the season.
Alcacer must see this and realise that Vidal's is the path he has to avoid. All indications are the defender will leave, either in January or the summer transfer window, and leave a failure at that.
That could be Alcacer's fate, too, or if he takes advantage of his chances as and when they arrive, it could all be very different. It's up to him.
Rik Sharma is Bleacher Report's lead Barcelona correspondent. All information and quotes obtained firsthand unless specified. Follow him on Twitter here: @riksharma_.
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