Barcelona staff concerned about veteran midfielder’s recent dip in form – report

Oriol Romeu’s performances at the base of midfield have started to become a lingering cause of concern for Barcelona.

After arriving on a meager fee of €3.4 million, with Romeu himself chipping in financially in light of the Catalans’ strained finances, the club was able to address their shortcomings in the defensive midfield department.

However, filling the gargantuan void of Sergio Busquets is not a job for the ordinary, and the pressure of such a demanding position is beginning to creep up on the holding midfielder.

Romeu’s importance is fading away

Indeed, AS have shed light on the downward trajectory of the player, who has gone from being labeled as indispensable to slowly losing significance in the starting XI, with concerns growing over his condition within the Barcelona staff.

Romeu started off the campaign with flying colors. His name was regularly etched on the team sheet, and Xavi was rewarded for his trust in the La Masia graduate.

Romeu’s ball-winning ability and security in possession allowed him to rack up consistent game time.

However, after seven starts in his first eight games, things started to take a turn for the worse.

The Spaniard lost prominence when the squad lost the home match against Celta Vigo, and he was replaced at halftime, with the team behind. A few days later, the situation repeated against RCD Mallorca.

And from there on, his appearances have become very intermittent, with Xavi benching him for big games against Sevilla and Real Madrid.

Concerns continue to mount

As a result of his fluctuations in form lately, minutes for Romeu have been sporadic, and criticisms regarding his displays have become more fierce.

The increasingly stacked midfield department does not bode well for Romeu either, as Fermin Lopez’ explosion and the successful double pivot of Ilkay Gundogan and Gavi in the Clasico downplay Romeu’s significance.

Once Pedri and Frenkie de Jong make their long-awaited return, it is anticipated that the veteran midfielder will drop down in the pecking order if this trend continues.

The staff does not conceal their concerns regarding Romeu’s fitness.

Some argue that it has to do with match load and intensity because Girona did not play two games a week, while others believe that playing as a defensive pivot for Barcelona requires a lot of personality and mental toughness.

There is also the possibility that the deprivation of a ball-carrying midfielder like De Jong in the double pivot has placed Romeu in an uncomfortable environment, who found considerable success paired with the Dutchman previously.

Whatever the reasons, the Barcelona staff is concerned about the veteran midfielder’s condition and dip in form. Any recruitment to bolster the position cannot be ruled out in the near future.