Had the game between Valencia and Barcelona on Sunday taken place at the Camp Nou, the Bats might have been careful not to share Ilaish Moriva in the squad. The reception he expects in the capital of Catalonia can be extremely hostile, and it is not certain that the 19-year-old is capable of dealing with it at this stage of his life. He has become the number one public enemy of Blaugrana fans, and disgust with him knows no bounds, even if it is not certain that the blame is necessarily laid at his doorstep.
The match between Barcelona and Valencia, like all Spanish league games, will be broadcast on Channel ONE for HOT subscribers, yes subscribers, Cellcom TV and Partner TV.
This conflict between the player and the club last summer was highly publicized and went beyond the bounds of good taste. Shortly before, Ilaish was still a revered prodigy, thanks to his first appearances in the Barcelona uniform that justified his definition as one of the most promising talents to emerge in La Masia. He shared photos with Leo Messi on social media, eagerly learned from the flea on the pitch, and even scored his first goal in the senior team from the Argentine’s delivery. As a very sturdy and powerful player in midfield, he gave a new dimension to Barcelona’s midfield, reminiscent of Yaya Toure, and was not afraid to take responsibility on his shoulders. In the Clasico against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, for example, he brought about a very substantial turning point in momentum when he came on as a substitute, was Barça’s outstanding player, and even almost scored the equalizer.
Yes, there were days … the coach Ronald Coman He greatly promoted the relationship, relied on it, and declared: “Every time he is on the pitch, Elisha adds something special.” It felt like the start of a great career in Catalonia, and the great friendship with Anso Patti was supposed to have meaning, but then everything exploded with a huge noise. Ilaish’s contract, which includes a € 100 million release clause, was due to expire in the summer of 2022, and the club began pressuring the young star to extend it. In response, Ilaish’s agents made high financial demands and conducted rigid negotiations. Barça’s management preferred to move the fight to the media arena, leaked the details and portrayed the player as greedy and greedy. The expectation was that this would make the other side flexible, but achieved just the opposite, and the snowball just kept rolling.
Not for the first time
Is it possible to understand Moriva and his family? In principle yes, especially given the fact that it has been successful for them in the past. At the age of 16 he was already quarreling over the plane on the way to signing for Manchester City, but changed his mind at the last minute when Barcelona agreed to give him a record salary for his age, about half a million euros per season. The interest expressed by other clubs only increased after he started playing for Barça’s senior team, and his agents estimated that an even better contract could be obtained. The dimensions of Barcelona’s economic disaster were not yet known to them, and Messi was still expected to stay. And even if the financial situation was catastrophic, Moriba did not understand the pressure exerted on him to immediately sign a new contract while significantly waiving its terms. After all, for him it was possible to continue playing until the end of the contract, and renegotiate in 2022. “There are thousands of rumors, but no one knows the truth,” Ilaish wrote on Instagram.
Barcelona saw everything differently, of course. With all due respect to Ilaish’s good performances, he was not a top management priority, and the financial crisis did not allow her to lose him for nothing. The club preferred to go to a real war against the player, and when the battle slipped into violent streaks and did not achieve its goal, the goal was different. Now Ilaish’s image had to be blackened as much as possible in the eyes of the fans, and then sold at a high price. The move contributed to the club in terms of cash flow, and the portrayal of Ilaish as a mercenary who only thinks about money made the fans really not regret his departure. He was thrown in disgrace, and curses accompanied him.
At least he did not go to Real Madrid, who groped in his direction – a reminder of the incredible hat-trick that Ilaish once scored for her in the small Clasico of teams up to the age of 18. Of all the offers, Leipzig’s was superior to all sides. Barcelona received 15 million euros, the contact was supposed to get a quick promotion at a club that loves and knows how to nurture young people. The Bundesliga matched his style like a glove next door, at least on paper. “I am happy to be here,” the contact stated. “We were able to bring in exceptional talent, and we are proud that Ilaish chose Leipzig over the many options he had,” the sporting director said. Florian Schultz.
Less worked in Germany
Barcelona fans wished him well, and to their great joy this is exactly what happened. It really was not supposed to be that way according to the original plans, but Ilaish only partnered twice in the Bundesliga in the first round, for two brief appearances as a substitute. Coach Jesse Marsh felt he was not due to be part of the Bundesliga rotation, explaining: “He has to be patient, and you can’t get everything right away at 18. Our squad has to earn every minute of a game, which is the most important thing for him right now in terms of mentality.”
The message was clear – the urine went up to Ilaish’s head, and he expected to get everything without any special effort because he arrived on the standard of a big star from Barcelona. Leipzig had very positive intentions for him, Vered Bull really does not tend to just throw money away, but she also has a clear policy, and should win the competition for a place in the squad. Moriba did not do so, and even when Marsh was fired in light of the disappointing results in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League, the young star’s condition did not improve. On the contrary – the new boss Domenico Tedesco thought it was irrelevant at this point, and in Germany there were widespread reports that the club was close to giving it up altogether.
Return to Spain
These signals were inaccurate, but the question was the ideal solution for everyone in the face of the complex situation. The move to Valencia was agreed before the African Championship, and was officially announced after Guinea was eliminated in the home leg. Ilaish has returned to his country and the familiar league, and the Bats are hoping he will help them overcome the departure of Daniel Vass from Denmark to Atletico Madrid. In view of the injuries, Moriba was immediately thrown into the squad, demonstrated good ability in a zero-draw against Real Sociedad in the premiere, excelled in the second half against Bilbao in the cup, and left a pretty positive impression in the loss to Alabs as well.
The choice of Valencia emphasizes that Ilaish really does not intend to throw his career in the trash and is not afraid of challenges. Coach Jose Bordelas demands endless investment in training and tactical iron discipline – some would say he is more meticulous and crazy than even Diego Simeone. He will not let Ilaish play just because he is a mature La Asia with potential, and the connection will be on the pitch only if he deserves it. He is certainly capable of proving this, and has a real chance to play regularly on a weekly basis until May, to return to Leipzig with a better and richer resume. He even plays a slightly more withdrawn role compared to Barcelona, which may give him more diverse tactical abilities.
The first 3 games leave room for optimism, and the encounter with the mythological ex will increase the motivation even more. At Camp Nou he would hear far too many shouts of contempt, but luckily this game takes place in the diversion, and the crowd will show love and support. In front of his former friends, all eyes will be on Ilaic, and he will be determined to show the Barcelona management that he was treated unfairly, and to silence the critics in Catalonia. Is it possible? We do not have much time left to wait for an answer.