Francisco Trincao: "When Barça callled for me, I was speechless"

Francisco Trincao is counting down the days until he's able to join up with FC Barcelona. The 20-year-old, who only has one season of senior football under his belt, admitted he was "lost for words" when Barça called him. "I was happy but I didn't know what to say. I always knew I had the quality but I never imagined this could happen to me at such a young age."

Trincao said he would be "proud" to step out at the Camp Nou and is keen to take advantage of the opportunity handed to him. "Mentally, I'm very strong. I look to score, assist and help my team. My main strength are one-on-ones and to do that I need the confidence to play week in, week out." 

"Barça is Barça and you always have to win," the Portuguese youngster said. "I've come to give my all in every match and to win all the titles available."

Trincao is confident but knows the team comes first. "I prefer playing on the right wing but I'll do whatever the coach asks of me. I'm going to try and help the team whether that's as a striker, on the right wing or from the left." 

The level-headed youngster knows the pressure - and criticism - that can come from representing a side like Barça on a weekly basis. "I'm my biggest critic!"

Griezmann, Abel Ruiz and Catalan

Even though he's yet to officially meet up with his Barça teammates, Trincao has already received welcome messages from the squad. The first of which came from Griezmann. "He sent me a message in Portuguese saying: 'How are you doing, man?'"

Nelson Semedo has told him how day to day life is at Barça and Trincao admits the full-back "has been a great help". However, the person who has gone above and beyond is Abel Ruiz, who moved to Braga in a separate deal. 

"I spent lockdown with Abel Ruiz and David Carmo and they made it easier to get through this situation," confessed Trincao. "They told me about the club, the city and said it was the best club in the world. They recommended I stay true to myself and everything will go well."

In fact, before he set foot in Spain, Abel Ruiz has been helped him brush up on his Catalan. "I'm trying to get better and Abel is helping me. I only know how to say a few phrases like 'bona tarda', 'fins aviat', 'com et dius?', 'adéu'..."

Yet when he arrives in August, it won't be the first time Trincao has been in Barcelona. "I've been there twice before. It's a city I like a lot and I can't wait to see it again."