Yes, Wednesday night is Manchester City vs Barcelona and Pep’s return to the Camp Nou, but there’s more going on than just that.
For example, for Denis Suarez, it’s a chance to play against a club he was a part of for two years (between 2011-13) but only played 85 minutes of football for.
Already making nine appearances for the club he left for Villarreal in 2015 before returning in 2016 thanks to a handy buy-back clause, the 22-year-old will be hoping for some time on the pitch on Wednesday night, even if it is just as a substitute.
Returning to Spain wasn’t just a relief for him, but also for his family, as he explained to the Spanish newspaper.
He said: “My family didn’t enjoy it too much because it was difficult for them to learn the language and talk to people. Well, not all my family as my brother stayed there. They were tough years, and my family were very happy when I signed for Barcelona.”
When given the choice, the player opted for a return to Spain, despite Manuel Pellegrini, who took over from Roberto Mancini, trying to convince him otherwise.
He explained: “It was time to make a change in my career. I learnt a lot in Manchester, but I knew that it would be easier to grow as a footballer in La Liga.”
Grateful for his experience in England, the young forward will undoubtedly be pleased to see some of his old teammates, especially as he trained a lot with the first-team at City, but, in the end, he’s a Barcelona player now, and there’s only team he will want to win on Wednesday night.
Hint: it won’t be Pep Guardiola’s side.
