Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti wants to "return to the past," expresses anguish on social media

Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti has not had the best of years in a Blaugrana shirt. The French defender has struggled to make an impact on Barcelona's dismal La Liga season and has often found himself on the sidelines.

In a heartfelt message on social media, the Barcelona star said that he wished he could go back to a simpler time and be happy again.

"I'd like to go back to when I was happy and didn't know it"Samuel Umtiti has been hit hard by his latest setback💔https://t.co/fMH8LMvYOZ pic.twitter.com/CzsIe4qK8T

— MARCA in English (@MARCAinENGLISH) July 4, 2020

"I would like to be able to return to the past, not to change things, but to relive the time when I was happy and I didn't know it."

Barcelona had identified Samuel Umtiti as a possible choice in the starting eleven a few years ago but the French defender now finds himself at the bottom of the pecking order under Quique Setien at Barcelona.

Umtiti has struggled to find a place in Barcelona's starting eleven is very likely to leave the club this season.

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French star Samuel Umtiti may leave Barcelona in the summer

Samuel Umtiti has not impressed at Barcelona

Samuel Umtiti is not particularly a fan favourite in Barcelona at the moment. The French defender's time at the club has been ravaged by injuries that have hampered his progress and consigned him to a place on the bench.

Like his French teammate Ousmane Dembele, Samuel Umtiti has struggled with injuries in the past few years. The defender had a glorious start to Barcelona career and was touted as the rightful heir to Carles Puyol's throne.

The defender's tenacity and his ability to play his heart out on the pitch made him one of Barcelona's most important players in the 2016/17 La Liga season. The Barcelona centre-back firmly established himself in the defensive line alongside Gerard Pique but went on to suffer several injuries that saw him lose his place in the starting eleven.

Samuel Umtiti will not be a part of the Barcelona team, which will play Villarreal on Sunday.https://t.co/iPSo0BKC97

— News18.com (@news18dotcom) July 3, 2020

The French defender came back to Barcelona's starting eleven towards the end of the 2017/18 season and seemed to have recovered from his hamstring injury. Umtiti also had an excellent World Cup campaign alongside Raphael Varane and went on to lift the coveted trophy with France.

Samuel Umtiti suffered yet another injury at the start of the 2018/19 season and gave Barcelona a selection dilemma ahead of a hectic schedule. The Catalans picked Umtiti's compatriot Clement Lenglet to partner Gerard Pique in Barcelona's defence.

Lenglet has been one of Barcelona's best players since his induction into the starting eleven and Samuel Umtiti has been left on the sidelines ever since.

Samuel Umtiti had a bad day against Celta Vigo

Samuel Umtiti was handed a rare start against Celta Vigo in a crucial La Liga fixture that effectively determined Barcelona's fortunes in the title race. The French defender had a miserable outing against Iago Aspas and was caught out of position for Celta Vigo's opening goal.

The Barcelona defender went on to suffer yet another injury during a training session last week and is set to miss the rest of the season. Samuel Umtiti has had a terribly unfortunate career so far at Barcelona and is likely to leave the club in the upcoming transfer window.

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