Barcelona Legend Eric Abidal Has Harsh Words for Wantaway Star After Public Complaints
Barcelona sporting director Eric Abidal gave an uncompromising response to Colombia star Yerry Mina's complaint that he has had insufficient game time at the Nou Camp since joining Barca.
Quoted by the Spanish daily Sport, former Barca star Abidal said: "If you are at a big club, all players want to play. But they can't and they have to work to manage it."
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The Frenchman also stressed that he is in no position to determine how many minutes Mina - or indeed any other player - can play. "I can't be the one who decides who plays," he said, adding "That's up to the coach [Ernesto Valverde]."
According to the same source, Mina has no shortage of suitors in the Premier League - Leicester City, West Ham United and Everton have all reportedly submitted bids of more than €30m for the 23-year-old.
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Going by his World Cup performances for Colombia, in which he scored three goals - including the equaliser in the nail-biting loss to England in the round of 16 - Mina would be ideally suited to English football. He has exceptional aerial prowess, is physically strong and is comfortable on the ball. Of course, the latter goes without saying for a Barca player.
Mina's frustration at the Nou Camp is understandable - since his €11.8m move from Palmeiras to Barcelona in January, he has featured just five times in La Liga.
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It will certainly be difficult for the young Colombian to enjoy regular starts for La Blaugrana, as he is unlikely to replace first choice central defenders Samuel Umtiti and Gerard Pique.
Nevertheless, Abidal made it clear that he still rates the Colombian very highly. "Yerry had a great World Cup," he acknowledged, adding: "He will come here and we believe in him, that's why he's here."
