"Of course I miss the support of the Barca fans" - Former Barcelona star admits he misses playing at Camp Nou following summer exit
Former Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie has admitted he misses playing in front of the Catalan giants' fans at Camp Nou.
Kessie left Barca for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli in the summer for €12.5 million. The Ivorian has made an excellent start to life in the Middle East, with four goals and one assist in 15 games across competitions.
However, the 26-year-old does hold fond memories of playing for Barcelona, particularly at Camp Nou. He said (via BarcaUniversal):
"Yes, of course I miss the support of the Barca fans. Playing in a stadium like the Camp Nou, with 100,000 seats… I think there are not many like that in Europe. So of course, obviously I miss the Camp Nou."
Kessie only spent one year with Barcelona after joining as a free agent following his exit from Serie A side AC Milan. The Ivory Coast international failed to nail down a place in Xavi's starting lineup on a consistent basis.
The holding midfielder made 43 appearances across competitions, scoring three goals and providing as many assists. His most memorable moment in Blaugrana colors came in El Clasico.
Kessie scored a 90+2nd minute winner as Barca beat rivals Real Madrid 2-1 at Camp Nou. That goal was crucial and helped Xavi's men on their way to winning the La Liga title for the first time since 2019.
Barcelona boss Xavi reportedly draws up three-man midfield shortlist to replace Gavi
Barcelona have been handed a massive blow after Gavi suffered a season-ending ACL injury while on international duty with Spain. The 19-year-old will play no part of the rest of the Blaugrana's campaign.
Thus, Xavi is considering bringing in a new midfielder in January to help deal with the situation. According to Spanish journalist Gerard Romero (via BarcaUniversal), the Spanish coach has three options in mind.
Villarreal's Dani Parejo is a potential target and he could be a quick fix given his age (34). The Spaniard has started this season with one goal and one assist in 15 games across competitions. He has just over seven months left on his contract with the Yellow Submarine.
Meanwhile, Barca could look to bring Thiago Alcantara, 32, back to Camp Nou from Liverpool. The Spanish playmaker has yet to play this season due to injury issues and also has just months left on his contract.
Finally, Guido Rodriguez, 29, was linked with the Blaugrana in the summer and he's back on their radar. The Argentine midfielder has bagged one goal and one assist in 16 games and his deal also expires in June 2024.