Opinion: Barcelona have struck gold with Vitor Roque, but must be careful with his development

Barcelona have failed to replicate their success domestically from last season, with the club’s form of late hardly conveying any optimism.

However, the Catalan giants’ latest signing, Vitor Roque, is poised to deliver a festive surge of excitement as the Christmas break draws to a close.

Cules continue to seek upliftment with the imminent arrival of Roque after his signing was officially announced in the previous summer transfer window.

❗️Image: Vitor Roque at the airport. pic.twitter.com/ADFt6iAmVz

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) December 26, 2023

Breaking down the Brazilian, it is easy to understand why he garners such acclaim. Even so, patience and caution will be necessary for his development.

Dissecting Roque’s profile

At 5 feet 8 inches, Vitor Roque hosts a diminutive figure for the role of playing as a conventional center forward. However, the 18-year-old isn’t your stereotypical number 9 who makes proceeds into the box solely through central areas.

Roque is a street-smart footballer, moving across the pitch to exploit spaces rather than simply pinning center-backs.

The Brazilian prefers to drift out wide in order to contribute to the team’s buildup, which suits Barcelona’s preference to create overloads in lengthy possession spells.

His movement is excellent, as is his sense of positioning. With a low center of gravity and incredible speed, the Brazilian’s dynamic and rapid motion brings chaos and disarray into the opposition’s defensive structure.

While the general consensus is that the Brazilian is arriving to displace Lewandowski in the center-forward position, Roque can comfortably play a complementary role to the Polish striker too.

The eighteen-year-old is well-suited to play as a secondary striker or on the wings, which gives him the liberty to interchange with the striker and alleviates the supporting burden on his partner in crime.

Unlike Joao Felix, who has a more creative profile and is often deployed as the fourth midfielder, Roque’s presence inside the box is far more frequent.

He is a striker who does not get much contact with the ball but makes it count in the final third, especially in the opposition’s box.

Xavi has, in the past, attempted to pair Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres as a secondary striker alongside Lewandowski.

But Roque’s eye for goal and preference to wander in the left-half space render him a more compatible profile, someone Lewandowski could considerably benefit from as he will be compelled to stay inside the box more and rotate positions when he does decide to drop deeper.

Strengths that set him apart

Barcelona have been exceedingly direct and vertical at times this season. This has not always had the most productive outcome, though, due to a lack of penetrative runs behind the opposition backline and an inability to exploit chaotic game states.

However, at Athletico Paranense, Roque was highly accustomed to playing in such situations. Scoring off turnovers, sneaking past center-backs, and constantly making runs behind, he could prove to fit Xavi’s system seamlessly.

Before sustaining an injury, the youngster was on a roll during the Brazilian season.

Vitor Roque became the first player to score in five consecutive appearances in the Brasileiro this season. In fact, no player under the age of 19 has ever achieved this feat.

He has the benefit of being extremely two-footed, so he can try to score by using the inside, the laces, or the outside of his boot. The Brazilian sensation also has a great leap for someone his height.

Given his exceptional ability to attack the ball and his nifty approach to losing markers, he has the potential to deliver dangerous headed shots toward the opponent’s goal.

Roque simply has the knack of ending up in the right place at the right time. He has all the traits needed to execute the role of a pure poacher. Instead of excessively gravitating towards the ball, the 18-year-old exploits space naturally.

Availing blindside runs, Roque tends to catch defenders off guard very often. Whether it’s getting at the end of crosses or pulling a marker away from a team-mate, his tricky movements draw similarities with Luis Suarez, who also would completely dumfound center-backs imposed on him.

Another one of his strengths is runs-in-behind, as he times his runs to perfection before arriving in the opposing box. With Barcelona’s creators feeding him, the potential to eliminate opposition lines is huge.

Ready to nail a position in the starting XI?

Despite the aforementioned traits creating the impression that Roque is worthy of featuring in the lineup on an immediate basis, managing to execute these qualities requires more than just talent.

Not only would Roque have to deal with the huge upturn in scrutiny and pressure; but a large chunk of the responsibility would also befall the coaching staff.

An 18-year-old making the leap to European football cannot be instantly thrown in the hot seat. Rushing the adaptation process of foreign players has traditionally proven to be a recipe for disaster, which is something Xavi will have to take note of.

With Lewandowski’s waning form a subject of great concern, Roque is expected by many to displace him.

However, playing alongside or even second-fiddle to the Polish talisman is unequivocally the ideal outcome for a teenager still in development.

Instead of competing with Lewandowski, his initial contest for a spot in the XI should be with Felix on the left wing, and then once he has enough maturity and experience, the number 9 position can gradually be entrusted to him.

Amidst all this, it is important to not marginalize Marc Guiu, who has shown tremendous potential as a striker and already has a solid record this season.

Meritocracy and patience must be the driving forces behind Roque’s evolution, as the long-term ambitions must eventually hold the most weight.