Everything Barca
Fansided

What should Sergi Roberto’s role be with Barcelona next season?

By Benjamin Barkworth

Sergi Roberto prior the spanish football league La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Villarreal at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain on May 9, 2018 (Photo by Miquel Llop/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Sergi Roberto prior the spanish football league La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Villarreal at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain on May 9, 2018 (Photo by Miquel Llop/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The versatility of Sergi Roberto means his role for Barcelona next season is unclear.

Back in the 2016/17 season, Luis Enrique opted to use Sergi Roberto as a right-back due to wanting him in the starting XI even if he was out of position. This worked relatively well because it provided a short-term solution to the right-back problem while also giving Roberto a consistent run in the Barcelona first-team. However, Nelson Semedo’s arrival last summer suggested that this arrangement was coming to an end.

Ernesto Valverde rotated between them at first, but Roberto ended up having more minutes as well as playing in the major games. Therefore, he was the main option for the position by the end of the season. Will he do the same again next year? Or was this related to his use of the 4-4-2 formation?

Roberto’s intelligence meant he was an excellent passing option in build-up because it was hard to press him even though he was in a wide area. He was also able to aid progression from deep positions through his ball-carrying ability. This meant he was the better option for the role when Barca were playing in a 4-4-2 formation. However, they could shift back to a 4-3-3 now that Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho have settled in. There is also the arrival of Arthur and the potential transfer of Antoine Griezmann to consider.

Semedo would suit the 4-3-3 because of his athleticism and attacking threat, which ensures that Barcelona have true width if the winger comes inside. His pace ensures that he can track back quickly as well, so it’s hard to catch him out of position. The level of his performances suggest that he is more than capable of playing at the top-level.

Where should Roberto play?

Andres Iniesta’s departure opens up a midfield role, although that is likely to be competed for by Coutinho, Denis Suarez and Carles Alena. Roberto could still be an option, though, by playing in the right midfield role. Ivan Rakitic has performed well there this season, but he is technically limited. The Croatian would be an excellent alternative for Sergio Busquets against the smaller teams in the league as well as the Copa del Rey matches.

More from Analysis

Playing Roberto there presents issues because Arthur will be joining the club either this summer or in January. He will need time to adjust, but that position is his in the long-term. Barcelona have also been linked with Thiago and Miralem Pjanic among others as they look for a deep-lying playmaker. Roberto should still be a midfield option because that is where he plays best, and it brings the most out of his La Masia education.

Next: Should Barcelona withdraw from the Supercopa de Espana?

He could still be used as a right-back when needed as well as a utility option for the squad. Semedo deserves to be the starting right-back, though, with Sergi Palencia a back-up. Although this is dependent on the assumption that Barcelona will play in a 4-3-3 set-up next season. Valverde is lucky to have Roberto because he is an excellent squad player.