Impressive Marlon Santos gains credit with Luis Enrique
The Brazilian has been convincing in the weeks he has trained with the first-team squad, although he will go back to the B team this weekend
Marlon Santos will return to playing in the Mini Estadi on Saturday, against Badalona. Gerard Lopez is waiting for him and is looking forward to his return. In the four games he has played with the B team before Luis Enrique took him up to the first team squad, they only let in one goal, from a penalty.
The Brazilian is absorbing Barcelona’s concepts of play well. Luis Enrique has had him for two weeks to analyse him in depth while Gerard Pique and Jeremy Mathieu are out injured. The coach and his staff have been convinced by him. Of course he still has to improve, but he has a good base to become a centre-back of the future for the club.
They like all his defensive aspects, how he anticipates, cuts in with strength and clashes with opponents without fear. He gets the ball back quickly and helps keep the play in the opposition half.
The principle aspect they think he needs to improve in is bringing the ball out from the back. The staff think he has the ability to play defence-splitting passes and long balls that help the play, but lacks confidence to do that at the moment. He should build this at Barca B even though he has to play in small stadiums, some with artificial grass.
The first team coaches will continue their analysis over the weeks ahead. Juan Carlos Unzue , Robert Moreno and Joan Barbara pay a lot of attention to the B team and tell Luis Enrique the crucial info.
In the weeks he has trained with the first team he has made good impressions on them too The Brazilian clan, Neymar and Rafinha, have taken well to him after losing their friends Dani Alves, Adriano, Douglas and his humble attitude has been taken to well in the dressing room.
After years of fruitless searching for centre-backs, Barcelona have chosen well with Samuel Umtiti and Marlon Santos.
