Aleix Vidal-Arda Turan: More downs than ups since Barça debuts a year ago
It's been a difficult 12 months for the duo, who spent six months sidelined when they signed
This Friday, Jan. 6, marks one year since Aleix Vidal and Arda Turan made their FC Barcelona debuts. Both players were signed in July, 2015, but couldn’t play for six months due to FIFA’s registration ban after the Catalan club breached the rules when signing minors. In the year that’s passed since then (the first leg of the Copa del Rey against Espanyol), there have been more shadows than lights, especially for the full-back, who’s found himself in a situation of complete ostracism.
Aleix Vidal will celebrate his anniversary by watching football on television. Because for Thursday’s game against Athletic, once again, he is not in the squad. That’s 13 times this season. A ‘record’ which reveals Luis Enrique’s complete lack of faith in the player who arrived to be Dani Alves’ replacement but has ended up spending more time in the stands. In fact, he’s played just five games this season (two in the cup, one in Europe, one in the league and one in the Super Cup) contributing to a total of 350 minutes.
In addition to the 13 games he’s not been called up for, Vidal has spent a further six games on the bench, three injured and one on ‘holiday’ with permission to get married. They’re numbers which no-one would have expected when he made his debut last January, playing 23 minutes in the Catalan derby after Barça had paid Sevilla 18 million euros to sign him. He could leave the club this winter, but there have not yet been any firm offers.
Arda Turan’s case has taken a radical turn in recent weeks. His move from midfield to the wing has seen him have an important presence in the team, taking part in 19 games (1,231 minutes), scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists. Those excellent numbers have coincided with his positioning as a forward. Of the 19 games he’s played, nine have been as a left forward, three as a right forward and just seven in midfield.
The Turkish international was signed from Atletico Madrid for 34 million euros and became the club’s seventh most expensive signing. In his first six months he didn’t shine as expected (he played 25 games, 23 in midfield, and only scored two goals) and last summer he looked like he could leave. Now he has become the best backup to Messi and Neymar.
