When Barça Announced His Signing, the blaugrana Environment Was Divided. Some saw him as a diamond in the rough, a talent with potential that could make history. Others, including Xavi Hernández, called for patience.
The Catalan coach never fully trusted him. He stated from the beginning that he wasn't ready to compete at the highest level. Neither physically, mentally, nor in character.
While many were carried away by enthusiasm, he was one of the few who called for caution.
An Opportunity That Never Came
The Player Was Brought In With the Label of a Promise. He was compared to club legends for his technique and vision of the game. But real opportunities with the first team were minimal.
Xavi preferred to take it slow. He left him in the background, not forcing an adaptation that he knew would be complex. That, at the time, was harshly criticized.
They said Xavi didn't trust young talent. But time has proven him right.
With the Arrival of Hansi Flick, Some Thought Everything Would Change. That the new coach could recover his best version. But none of that has happened.
Flick was even clearer. He neither included him in the first team's preseason nor considered him a real option to compete. From day one, he made it clear that he wasn't in his plans.
The player was loaned out to seek minutes... and even then, he failed to convince.
A Loan That Didn't Work Either
The Club Decided to Loan Him to a First Division Team. They wanted him to toughen up, to gain experience in a more demanding environment. But the story repeated itself.
He started with some appearances, but soon lost prominence. The coach shut the door on him without hesitation. He didn't find his place, neither on the field nor in the locker room; in the last matches, he wasn't even warming up.
No One Says It Publicly, but in Barça's Offices, It's Clear. It was a failed bet. Although the player still has a contract, the club is already working on his departure.
They are looking for offers, loans, even terminating if nothing convincing comes up; it's a case they want to close as soon as possible. Because everyone knows that if he stays, he won't play. Neither Flick nor anyone within the coaching staff believes in his recovery.
The Footballer in Question Is Pablo Torre. One of the Young Bets That Generated the Most Excitement and Offered the Least on the Field. Neither Xavi before, nor Flick now, have believed in his potential as an important piece for Barça.
The club signed him to build the future. But the present has shown that he doesn't fit the current model of the team. His departure is a matter of time.
As so often, Xavi saw it coming long before everyone else.