Míchel: Barcelona’s Oriol Romeu Would Be My Pick

Former Girona coach Míchel Sánchez holds a fond memory of coaching Oriol Romeu last season and expressed high regard for the midfielder. As Romeu faces a challenging season with FC Barcelona, Míchel, now the coach of Girona, revealed in an interview with SER Catalunya’s ‘Què t’hi jugues?’ program that if he had to choose one player from the current Barcelona squad, it would unquestionably be Oriol Romeu.

“Straightforwardly, it would be Oriol Romeu. He is a good person and a top-notch player,” stated the Girona coach. When asked about Romeu’s current situation at Barcelona, Míchel refrained from delving into specifics, saying, “I don’t know what’s happening; I’m not there.”

Despite acknowledging Ter Stegen as “the best goalkeeper in the world,” especially for his playing style with his feet, Míchel is aware of the heightened pressure at Barcelona compared to Girona. He conveyed this sentiment to Xavi Hernández during their encounter, highlighting the intense atmosphere at Barcelona, a topic that arose after Girona’s notable victory over Barcelona with a 2-4 scoreline.

During their conversation, Míchel recalled telling Xavi, “If I lose, it’s okay, but if I win, it will be a bomb. And with you, it will be the opposite.” The victory indeed left a lasting impression on Míchel, considering it one of the most special matches he has directed.

Despite attracting interest from larger clubs, Míchel reiterated his desire to continue leading Girona, where he has a contract until June 30, 2026. While flattered by interest from prominent clubs, he expressed his primary goal, saying, “My dream is to be here next year playing in the Champions League; it would be a beautiful challenge. I hope I can be among the candidates to coach two of the best teams in the world (referring to FC Barcelona and Real Madrid), but my number one goal is to stay with Girona.”