BARCELONA – Memphis Depay denies, albeit in part, the widespread claim of Barcelona’s horrific transfer market this summer. Ignoring better offers (from Juventus without going any further) and accepting a second and surprising proposal to the resignation of the new management of Joan Laporta, the Dutch striker fulfilled his desire to sign for Barça without setting the salary as a point main.
Remarkable in his official debut against Real Sociedad, he has already rescued a Barça between cold and disappointing against Athletic and Getafe. Away from the depressive feeling that continues to grip the club, he doesn’t hesitate to put the team on his back when he needs it most and personalizes a point of brightness in the dark. Barça ends the matches by asking for the time … And they don’t see the time for their players to accompany the new crack, who didn’t need three games to show credentials.
While Georginio Wijnaldum did not want to raise any doubts about PSG putting a superior economic offer on the table, Memphis maintained its commitment. And just three official competition matches were enough to win the favor of a fan in need of idols to whom to deliver after the departure of Leo Messi.
“I didn’t even have time to meet him,” said the former Olympique de Lyon player, whose praise was multiplied this Sunday at the Camp Nou, referring to the Argentine star. with whom Ronald Koeman hoped to form a first-rate couple. And it is that waiting for Griezmann, Barça has already discovered a player called to make a difference and, in case of need, rescue the team in the worst moments as so many, and so many, Messi did in the past.
This new Barça is having a hard time starting and, at the moment, he suffers more than he enjoys on the pitch. He mixed good feelings with worrying blackouts against Real Sociedad, suffered, and not a little, in San Mamés against Athletic and was again far from what was expected against Getafe, which he won with many problems and evidencing a lack of continuity in their highly troubling game.
Among all this emerges the figure of Memphis Depay with a superb forcefulness … And that shows that the so often argued need for adaptation is, for the crack, little less than a deception. To him, coming to a team without reference and trapped in need, has not had enough of it. He stood out, without a goal but with an assist, in the league premiere and from there, in the next two games he has already taken on the role of savior.
Problems? Memphis to the rescue. What the 10 has done so many times in recent years has been repeated by the new 9 in two consecutive games. When Barça suffered the most in San Mamés, a goal was taken from the top hat; when he was more lost against Getafe he repeated with another goal. And there was the feeling that, if necessary, he would have uncovered or rescued this team that adds with suffering and without football.
Barça’s second half was little less than bleak. Whistles to Griezmann, whistles Emerson (who in only one title was already marked as in his day Junior Firpo), mistrust with Braithwaite, despite Sergi Roberto, scorer of entry and then disappeared … A game without release or return showing the seams of a team in need of self-confidence and who ended up asking for the time in front of a rival, needless to say, second-order.
In two weeks, Barça will host Bayern Munich in their Champions League debut and do not seem to be in a position to avenge the humiliation of Lisbon. In return, the feelings are more pessimistic than anything else … Although he will always have the opportunity to catch up with Memphis Depay. A footballer who has enough to keep even the slightest hope.
Barcelona have symptoms of hope for the future that personalize Nico and Gavi, there is confidence in Mingueza and delivery with De Jong or Pedri. He waits for Ansu … And, meanwhile, he catches the Memphis star. But he needs more. Far more.