Barcelona veteran's future at club likely to be dependent on boss Xavi's continuity - Reports
Barcelona midfielder Sergi Roberto's future at the club is reportedly dependent on that of his boss Xavier Hernandez's.
Roberto, 31, has made just eight appearances across competitions for the Blaugrana this season, starting four times and scoring thrice, all in La Liga. Two of those goals came in Barca's 3-2 win at home to Almeria in midweek.
However, the Spaniard is one of the lowest-paid players in the squad and is down the pecking order, despite being one of the club captains. SPORT (via Barca Universal) reports that there's a clause in his contract that would extend his stay by a year if he plays a certain number of games.
Roberto, though, wants to play a more hands-on role for the side and will only stay beyond the summer if he feels he can still contribute to the team's cause. The aforementioned publication reports that the Spaniard could stay at the club next season if Xavi also stays put.
The Barca boss is under pressure following a string of recent lacklustre results. The Blaugrana are six points behind surprise league leaders Girona (44) but have played a game more, so a successful title defence looks difficult at this point.
Barcelona also huffed and puffed their way to the UEFA Champions League, losing twice and finishing ahead of second-placed Porto on better head-to-head record.
"We suffered much more than I expected" - Barcelona boss lambasts players after Almeria win
Barcelona manager Xavier Hernandez was far from pleased with his side's performance in the 3-2 home La Liga win over Almeria on Wednesday (December 20).
The Blaugrana twice conceded the lead before Sergi Roberto scored his second of the night seven minutes from time to seal a nervy win. Xavi fumed after the game that Barca ought to have had a far more comfortable evening if not for their attacking profligacy and defensive mistakes.
“We suffered much more than I expected,” Xavi said (as per Barca Blaugranes. “We had 30 shots and gifted them two goals. The first half is unacceptable. As a coach you can’t accept that — I told (the players) that at half-time.
“It’s as simple as that. The second half is better, but we missed a lot (of chances) and made a lot of mistakes. It’s been like this for over a month."
The Blaugrana return to competitive action after the Christmas break at Las Palmas on January 4.