La Masia’s finest Riqui Puig bleeds the blaugrana colors more than anyone and it shows through his intense desire to stay put at the club despite his continuous presence in the Segunda Division B with the Barça B side. He refuses to go out on loan in the upcoming winter market and is willing to wait until he gets the call-up to prove himself in the big league. The idea of leaving the Catalan club does not cross his mind. It’s either Barça or nothing. And, the 20-year-old made his intentions very clear in the summer: “Outside of Barca, it’s cold, and you can’t leave Barca if they don’t chuck you out. I think my [former] teammates [that left] didn’t see a future here, and had to go.”

Trapping the talented footballer, who has such a promising future at Camp Nou, in such a rough and violent league is beyond risky for both the player and the club. Just last weekend, Puig was brought down by a nasty and intentional tackle, that could have led to a serious injury. And this wasn’t the first time the youngster had received a horror tackle. It happens week after week. A player of his quality and talent should not be participating in this type of league. His spot is in the Primera Division with Barça and in the midfield position.

The 20-year-old needs to be promoted and given a prominent role within the team. He has the talent, and the skills, so what exactly is Ernesto Valverde waiting for?