“Nico is the perfect replacement for Busquets”

Nico Gonzalez did not hesitate to look for himself Valencia CF the minutes of play that were missing in the FC Barcelona. The 20-year-old midfielder, on loan from the Barça club to Che until the end of the season without a purchase option, was clear that in order to progress in his evolution he needed to play regularly in the elite and chose a club with the historical demand of Valencia to continue that process . He took that step after extending his contract as a culé until 2026, demonstrating the self-confidence he has to end up fulfilling his dream: to succeed at Barça. One of his coaches in Barça youth football, Francisco Javier Garcia Pepperhe assured The Stringer of the SER Chain that in his opinion Nico is the ideal candidate to become the heir to Sergio Busquets in the center of the Barça field. “He meets all the requirements, he is the perfect player, ideal to play for Barça”, analyzed the former Barça B coach today on the bench of the OUT Las Palmasleader of LaLiga SmartBank.

García Pimienta recalled how Nico fit into his pattern of play when both coincided in the Barça subsidiary and underlined the confidence he has in his evolution. “I have a lot, a lot of faith in Nico,” he said. “He went up to Barça B with me when he was in his last year of youth and I verified that he understands the position in the pivot game.” “Last season Nico was already at the side of Sergio Busquets and, from my point of view, he meets all the requirements, he is the perfect player, ideal to play for Barça, although that does not mean that his game is only specifically for Barcelona”.

At the moment, in Mestalla, under the orders of the Italian coach Gennaro GattusoNico has participated in six league games, two of them as a starter, contributing one goal so far.

In recent statements to VCF Radio, after playing as a midfielder and inside midfielder at Valencia CF, Nico pointed out that “in lower categories 90% of the time I have played as a pivot”. “I’m more used to it and I’ve always moved towards that position, but last year I played all the indoor games. This year I’ve played several indoor games and I feel very comfortable,” he said, trying to broaden the range of his duties. In fact, Gattuso’s plan is even familiar to him. “In the Barça school they teach us from a young age that the most effective thing is to do what is simple, to play one or two quick touches; that is also Gattuso’s idea, to play quickly and in this way we facilitate the work of the wingers, who have more space and time to face”, he recalled in those demonstrations he made before the national team break.

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