La Masia with dreams of getting into the soccer elite is seen by many boys as the ultimate goal, but the truth is that while it is the best school in the world, it can also be the most brutal. It is difficult for a boy, whether he is a 5-year-old, a teenager or a footballer, to understand that Barcelona’s demands leave no room for everyone’s dreams
Juan Gonzalez experienced this reality in his youth, when he had the misfortune to coincide with two talents such as Jaffe and Nico Gonzalez. Both midfielders, at that time the Andalusian interior and Nico Pivot, were permanent members of the starting eleven of that team, while the Barcelona player was a substitute and, given the lack of opportunities, decided to leave his club. Dreams of embarking on an adventure through Italy. Upon receiving the offer from Lecce in August 2021, Juan Gonzalez did not think about it, believing that promotion to the first team would be easier than the club
Juan Gonzalez got into the lower categories of the Italian national team as a complete unknown. He wasn’t even a regular starter for Juventus from FC Barcelona and his spirits weren’t the best either. However, it was in the Puglia region that he found his footballing best, and it didn’t take long for Lecce’s first team coach, Marco Baroni, to hear about his talent
So much so, that after a season and a half of making an atmosphere and life changing decision, Juan Gonzalez became a regular in the first team and one of Baroni’s regulars. Translating into numbers, he has played a total of 16 matches this season, having managed to score a goal and provide two assists in Lecce’s 16th-place finish. Such is his importance at the Salento club that, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, Turin’s Juventus would be interested in acquiring his services
The 20-year-old midfielder, born on February 1, 2002 in Barcelona, has gone from being dropped by Barcelona into a future prospect for the legendary team in Italy. In addition, the aforementioned source predicts a very affordable signing for Juventus, because although Joan still has a contract until the summer of 2027 at Via del Mare, the Bianconeri will only have to shell out €15m to make it. their player
At the start of this season, Transfermakt valued him at €250,000, and his great season made the taxi after just 4 months €3m. Further proof that in football it’s not just about quality, it’s also about being in the right place at the right time