“It makes me very sad” – Tottenham defender upset at former club’s struggles, still talks ‘a lot’ to one player

Tottenham Hotspur defender Emerson Royal has admitted he is upset to see Barcelona’s struggles in the Champions League this season.

The defender spent two years as a Barcelona player, having joined them in a €12m deal from Clube Atlético Mineiro in 2019.

He would only manage three appearances for the Catalans, with them instead electing to part own him with Real Betis and leave the player to develop there.

He did return to the Nou Camp in a €14m deal in 2021 but was sold to Tottenham a year later and has been with Antonio Conte’s side since.

Despite a low-key and unsuccessful relationship with Barcelona, though, it appears the Tottenham man remains a fan of the club he once dreamed of starring for.

That means he keeps an eye on their performances and has admitted to AS he is sorry to see their current struggles to qualify from the Champions League group stages.

“It makes me very sad because Barcelona are a great team,” he told the newspaper.

“We always like the big teams in the big competitions, and I think Barcelona have the players, the squad, to turn it around.

“And if they don’t qualify, it’s a shame, but I think they will keep working to get into the Champions League again.

“The player I talk to the most is Ansu Fati, I talk to him a lot, he’s a friend I have in Barcelona, and I hope everything goes well for him.”