Vitor Roque: Xavi’s Forgotten Gem

Vitor Roque was greeted with much anticipation upon his arrival at Barça. The Brazilian was meant to bolster the center-forward position, with Robert Lewandowski struggling for form, Ferran being somewhat inconsistent, and Marc Guiu’s fleeting appearances.

However, since landing in Barcelona, Roque’s performance has been rather lackluster to date. With only 11 appearances (just 2 as a starter) and 2 goals in the league, his statistics are concerning. Even more worrying is the apparent lack of confidence Xavi seems to have in him, especially considering his hefty transfer fee (31 million fixed + 30 in variables). The Barça coach has deployed him more as a left winger than a forward, and he has never been an option to shake things up when the team is trailing.

The recent Clásico against Madrid was yet another indication of Xavi’s preferences when making substitutions. In the 63rd minute, with the score tied at 1-1, he replaced one of the team’s heavyweights, Robert Lewandowski, but instead of opting for Vitor Roque, a natural striker, Xavi decided to bring on Ferran Torres, a winger he has occasionally used as a striker.

What happened at the Bernabéu was more of a rule than an exception. In the Supercopa final against Real Madrid, in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals against Athletic Club, and in the four Champions League round of 16 and quarter-final matches against Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain, Roque saw zero minutes of play.

Lewandowski’s resurgence has undoubtedly contributed to Roque’s lack of playing time. Xavi was reluctant to reduce his minutes when the Polish striker found his scoring touch again (against Napoli and Atlético Madrid). However, Lewandowski’s form has dipped in recent games, and Ferran’s return from injury has not made a significant impact either.

What if he hadn’t been sent off against Alavés? Everyone remembers Vitor Roque’s missed chances against UD Las Palmas in his debut. He played a few minutes in subsequent matches but never as a starter. However, everything changed when Xavi announced his departure after the 3-5 defeat to Villarreal.

The team was shaken, and Osasuna was the next opponent. A victory could have calmed the waters and made the transition with Xavi’s departure smoother. With the game deadlocked against Osasuna, Vitor Roque stepped up. It took him just one minute to make an impact. In the following match, he scored the 1-3 goal that sealed the game against Alavés. Two goals in two games, finally a good substitute… But then he got sent off.

He could have been the hero again against Granada (3-3), but he didn’t perform well against Celta Vigo. With the decisive stretch of the season looming, Xavi rallied with his trusted players, and although Roque had some opportunities (rarely in his position), he never got back into the groove. With the league already decided, we’ll see if Xavi takes a chance on him.