"I feel like a footballer again" - Barcelona youngster takes sly dig at Ronald Koeman after returning to the team under Xavi 

La Masia graduate Riqui Puig has told Diario Sport that he “feels like a footballer again” after making a 54-minute appearance for Barcelona in their 0-1 La Liga defeat to Real Betis on Saturday.

The young midfielder was once again left out of Barcelona's starting eleven, but came on after Gavi was forced off in the first half with a head injury. The appearance was only Puig’s second in six games under new coach Xavi Hernandez, but the La Masia graduate seemed fairly happy with his involvement at his boyhood club.

Last season, Puig made just 14 appearances for Barcelona, but the star has already made 8 this season. The Barcelona midfielder was in high spirits despite the rather disappointing loss at the Camp Nou, admitting that he’s happy to be playing:

“Footballers want to play, I am having minutes, I am happy. I feel like a footballer again, let’s see if the results accompany us, we can fight for the league and on Wednesday in the Champions League to qualify.”

The Barcelona star also commented on the game, noting that Barcelona were unlucky:

“In the second half we had very clear chances to score. There is a bad taste in our mouths, but we have to keep playing and working hard. The goal will end up coming, but today we were unlucky.

“We have three days to recover and go with everything to Munich to win. It is a final, we all believe, and we are together.”

Riqui Puig will be hoping to have caught his manager’s attention and feature for Barcelona in the crucial midweek game against Bayern Munich. However, Gavi could be fit to return to the squad for the trip to the Allianz Arena. The 17-year-old was discharged from the hospital following his head injury during the Betis clash.

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"He has enormous talent" - Xavi discusses Barcelona youngster Riqui Puig

The Barcelona manager has told Riqui Puig what he needs to do to improve his game. The 22-year-old may have been linked to a move away from Camp Nou during the summer transfer window, but Xavi has stressed that Puig is an important cog in the Barcelona wheel. He said:

“He is one of the squad and we count on him. Everyone will have an opportunity, we have various competitions. He has an enormous talent to attack centrally, to arrive in the area and he is capable of giving the final pass that we need. He has an innate talent and has to be as important to the team as Gavi and Nico."