Brighton and Hove Albion defender Valentin Barco’s struggles at Sevilla were partly his own fault, as he simply didn’t try hard enough.
That’s at least the suggestion from Sevilla ‘legend’ Antonio Pérez, better known as Antoñito, who has apportioned some of the blame for Barco’s failed loan spell at Sevilla to the defender in an interview with BolaVip.
Barco joined the Spanish side on loan from Brighton in the summer in the hope of getting regular playing time and developing away from the Seagulls.
Instead, he found himself firmly out of the picture in the first half of the campaign, managing just nine appearances in all competitions and 466 minutes of action.
The loan spell was cut short by Brighton in January, and he was sent to France with Racing Strasbourg, where he’s already made eight appearances totalling 601 minutes and picked up two assists as well.
Indeed, he was recently on the stars in the win over Lyon, bagging an assist in the 4-2 victory, a performance which led to further questions about what had gone wrong at Sevilla.
Pérez has his own theory and feels some of the blame should be apportioned to Barco, suggesting that the Brighton man simply didn’t try hard enough.
“The footballer also has to give himself a chance,” he said.
“He has had the good fortune to have had so many Argentinians like Acuña, Ocampos or Banega himself, who has been an idol.
“But in the end the circumstances, age, coming from playing in another country… He comes here; he adapts, and Sevilla does not wait for you, you have to perform from the first minute.
“I think he has struggled and in the end the teammate who is in his position has been able to take advantage of it. But there is no doubt that he has the quality to respond and surely things will work out better for him elsewhere.”
