Barcelona need to make right choice regarding Riqui Puig

Barcelona need to make a decision quick about what to do with Riqui Puig.

Riqui Puig’s talents are being wasted playing for Barcelona B in Spain’s third division. A decision must be made or the club risks hampering his development.

Over the weekend, Riqui Puig had to be stretchered off after being fouled in the team’s 1-1 draw against Llagostera. Initially, the club were concerned that the injury was severe and the player would be out a while.

Fortunately, according to Sport, the injury was not as severe as first feared. Tests revealed that he only suffered a bruise to his right leg and was back in training to start the week.

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However, this is not a one-time thing for Puig. Week in, week out he has had to deal with opposition players lunging into tackles either from frustration or in an effort to stop Puig. His quick feet has allowed him to escape some of those challenges and walk away from them largely unscathed.

But the latest incident is a warning to Barcelona that Puig is above third division football and keeping him there not only stalls his development but it also exposes him to injury from the opposition. Barcelona know that they need to do something.

The options the club are currently shuffling is to keep him at Barça B, send him out on loan, or promote him to the first team.

The first option is the one he finds himself in now and he’s proven that he needs a step up in competition. While he does get regular playing time, which is good, he’s been fouled way too often and, at times, targeted. Barcelona cannot risk losing him to a long-term injury.

A loan, on paper, looks good because he can potentially get first team minutes. The drawback is he gets sent to a team that does not play to his strengths and is relegated to the bench and doesn’t play at all.

Barcelona have not had the best of luck sending players out on loan. Gerard Deulofeu and Denis Suarez were some of the more successful ones but neither proved to be good enough. Sergi Samper is perhaps a more apt comparison since they are both midfielders and Samper was once the next big thing from the academy.

He was sent out to clubs who were fighting relegation and was given few opportunities because of it. His development hampered and when he was finally afforded minutes, injuries quickly derailed any hope.

Promoting him to the first team is the least likely of the three for a myriad of reasons. Barcelona are dealing with a surplus in that position with Busquets, De Jong, and Arthur as the starters and the likes of Rakitic, Vidal, Sergi Roberto, and Carles Aleña on the bench.

In order for Puig to get consistent minutes, the club need to move on at least two of those midfielders. Playing only Copa del Rey may not be enough.

If he is promoted, the last thing anyone wants is for Puig to suffer the same fate as the aforementioned Aleña.

Puig impressed during preseason and there were calls back then that he was ready for first-team football. Whether he is or not can only be settled by being given a chance.

Barcelona hit lightning in a bottle with Ansu Fati. His introduction into the first team was due to necessity more than anything but he took advantage of it. The same chance needs to be afforded to Puig.