Barcelona Youngster Likened To Xavi, Iniesta Could Make Champions League Debut, Report Suggests

Barcelona may have found its new Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta in Riqui Puig. Following an impressive first-team run, he could be looking at his Champions League debut.

Indeed, what Xavi and Iniesta have done for Barca is hard to repeat. However, comparisons seem to emerge every time a new player bursts onto the scene. This is also the case for Barcelona youngster Puig. After his first-team debut following the long hiatus, reports suggested that he has already been dealing with the impossible task – following the footsteps of two legendary Barcelona players.

Puig has played well for the Catalans since the return of La Liga. Despite being handed his first-team debut during one of the club’s most difficult seasons, the youngster still managed to deliver.

In fact, after providing two impressive assists in Barcelona’s last match of the season against Alaves, Besoccer.com assessed Puig’s performance and noted that he once again proved he was “a bit of Xavi and another bit of Iniesta.”

The report further stated that along with fellow La Masia graduate Ansu Fati, Puig seems to have easily fit in with the first team. It has also been said that Quique Setién's decision not to allow Puig to participate in the play-offs for the B team's promotion wasn’t really a punishment but a blessing in disguise as he got the chance to show his skills in the first team.

The report also suggested that following a great run after the lockdown, Puig could now make his debut in the Champions League as well.

According to Goal, just like some of the Barca greats before him, Puig also has the “Barcelona DNA.” The report emphasized that he was born in Terrassa like Xavi and moves inside the pitch like Iniesta.

Puig made his mark at the International Champions Cup match against AC Milan in 2018. After the match, Milan’s brand ambassador, Daniele Massaro, was stunned by the Spanish midfielder and even asked for his shirt. According to Massaro, they “could be looking at the new Iniesta” in Puig.

There have been loan offers for Puig in the past, but he chose to stay with Barcelona. Despite the risk of being stuck at the B team, Puig stayed and continued developing his game at Camp Nou. Many believed that he could have made the first team sooner rather than later if it wasn’t for Barcelona’s former coach Ernesto Valverde’s lack of trust in La Masia products.