Martin Braithwaite takes a sly dig at Barcelona and his lack of minutes

Lionel Messi’s departure from Barcelona left fans looking for the club’s next big goalscorer. In the team’s very first game after the Argentine’s exit, Martin Braithwaite stepped up emphatically.

The La Liga opener against Real Sociedad saw the Danish international register two goals and an assist in ninety minutes. However, his season went downhill thereafter as he fell prey to a four-month-long hiatus through injury.

Braithwaite saw minimal involvement in the team dynamics upon his return to the team in January. Moreover, the managerial change did not help his case either. The striker took a dig at the club by comparing his international minutes to his involvement at the club level.

“I’ve played more in these four games with the Denmark national team than in the whole season at Barça,” he said, as relayed by MARCA.

Xavi’s decision to not use Braithwaite’s services was probably justified, though. Not only was Luuk de Jong in phenomenal form towards the end of the season but also the presence and form of Pierre Emerick Aubameyang offered the manager better options in the final third.

The Dane’s exclusion is a clear sign that Xavi does not trust him. Barcelona are working to facilitate an exit for Braithwaite in the summer, and it is said that the player is open to a change of scenery too.

Celta Vigo, Valencia, and Brighton & Hove Albion have been interested in him in recent months and could look to restart negotiations in the coming days.

The 31-year-old made only four league appearances for the Catalans last season, scoring two goals and providing an assist. He has played 140 minutes for his international team in four Nations League games. Notably, he only started one of those four encounters.