Paco Alcacer became Barcelona’s lone signing to strengthen their forward line this summer after the Catalans thrashed out a deal worth €30 million with Valencia meaning the 23-year-old was able to put pen to paper on a five-year deal to sign with the La Liga champions.
Alcacer, who made his first start for Barcelona in their shock defeat to Deportivo Alaves last week is settling into his new life at the Camp Nou. However, he knows he will have to be at his best to crack into the starting line-up that features three of the best strikers in world football at the moment and led by the talismanic Lionel Messi, who he feels is a unique player.
“There has never been anyone like Messi in all of history,” he says. “And being able to play alongside him is a privilege,”
The Spaniard is also looking forward to playing with last season’s Pichichi winner Luis Suárez; whom he described as “the best centre-forward in the world. I was really looking forward to playing with him.”
The deal for the forward had gone through a number of twists and turns this summer. A day after people from the Barcelona hierarchy had claimed that they had come to an agreement with Valencia regarding the transfer of the forward, people in charge at the Mestalla vehemently rejected such reports.
However, Barcelona finally got their man towards the end of the summer transfer window, having been adamant that it was “Alcacer or nothing” for them.
The Spaniard became a fan favourite at Valencia and was even was handed the captain’s armband by erstwhile manager Gary Neville in January this year. However, when Barcelona came calling, he couldn’t say no. “I couldn’t believe it. When a club as big as Barça calls, it hits you,” said the forward.
Also Read: Jordi Alba says Barcelona were 'spot on' to sign Alcacer
The 23-year-old who scored 13 league goals last season described himself as an “intuitive” striker. “I have a goalscoring instinct. I will give one hundred per cent in training and in every game. I am here to do my bit.”
He was also full of praise for his former club, saying that he owes everything to them. “That’s where I got the chance to grow. That club made me a better footballer and more importantly, a better person. And that helped me to come here. I wish them all the best.”
Alcacer will hope to crack the code at Barcelona and be at his peak to have any chance to be in Luis Enriques’s rotations week in week out let alone the first eleven. And he will hope for a much better showing than he had against Alaves last week. However, with probably the worst behind him, the only way is up.
