An ex-Barcelona star has delivered a pointed critique of the club’s infrastructure and overall working environment.
FC Barcelona’s summer deadline-day dealings continue to generate headlines as final squad movements settle across La Liga.
Following an intense transfer window during which sporting director Deco restructured the squad’s payroll and midfield hierarchy, several La Masia graduates found themselves seeking regular playing time elsewhere.
Falling behind established international stars like Rodri and Frenkie de Jong, as well as rising talent Marc Bernal, the midfielder rejected offers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and England to join Deportivo’s ambitious project.
The player at the center of the controversy is 22-year-old defensive midfielder Marc Casadó.
According to a report by Goal, the former Barça Atlètic captain completed a deadline-day loan move to newly-promoted Deportivo de A Coruña after being informed by Hansi Flick that he would not feature prominently in Barcelona’s starting rotation.
During a guided tour of the Galician club’s facilities alongside sporting director Fernando Soriano and fellow arrival José María Giménez, Casadó was visibly stunned upon entering the first-team dressing room, blurtly stating, “This is better than Barça and everything”.
When a surprised Soriano double-checked the statement, asking the young midfielder, “Really?”, Casadó reaffirmed his claim without hesitation, responding, “Yeah, seriously”.
The unexpected swipe at La Masia and Spotify Camp Nou’s facilities has quickly raised eyebrows in Catalonia, given that Casadó spent over a decade developing through Barcelona’s youth categories before making 75 senior appearances and collecting two La Liga titles with the first team.
Despite the dramatic reaction to his new surroundings, Casadó’s departure from Catalonia was ultimately driven by a search for consistent minutes rather than direct malice toward his home club.
With Deportivo securing a €30 million purchase option as part of the agreement, Casadó’s early enthusiasm for his new home suggests his long-term future may lie far away from Barcelona.
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