Sergi Roberto can STILL be useful to Barcelona
By Adithya Ravi
![Sergi Roberto of FC Barcelona. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) Sergi Roberto of FC Barcelona. (Photo by Pedro Salado/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/3b093849fc94594cc68be9bb3d4e16f7e6d101a8d544fc7d7c4d47d80630ff1f.jpg)
#2 Perfect fit under Xavi?
Under Valverde and Koeman, Roberto was either utilized as an overlapping full-back or a box-to-box midfielder. The Remontada hero is smart in possession and a good passer of the ball. He also has an outstanding work rate and is a good tackler. Roberto was often overlooked as a mid-fielder due to the availability of more technically gifted players. At right-back, his 1v1 ability and recovery speed often came under scrutiny. This meant Roberto was often looked at as the jack-of-all-trades but master of none.
However, Xavi’s system could change that narrative. The three-time Champions League winner has implemented a 4-3-3 formation, with a few notable innovations. Xavi often instructs his wingers to maintain width, allowing the full-backs to invert. Both Dest and Dani Alves have been experimented in such a role with decent success. Sergi Roberto provides the perfect profile for the role: athletic, tidy in possession, hard-working, and versatile. It would be a shame not to see the 30-year-old in the right-back position at least once under Xavi.