The Rebirth of Eric García? His Turning Point This Season

Eric García's future took an abrupt turn in recent days. As the winter transfer market opened, it seemed that the player would seek regularity at a new destination due to his lack of minutes during the first half of the season, and clubs like Girona and Como 1907 were willing to make a financial effort to sign him permanently.

In fact, 'SPORT' has revealed that the defender had already communicated to the locker room his decision to change scenery this January. The priority for the youth player is to feel like a footballer, and his limited participation in the first months of the season encouraged him to leave a FC Barcelona that did not see his transfer as a bad option to free up salary mass.

The Match Against Benfica Was a Turning Point

However, his match against Benfica served as a turning point to change his situation in the Catalan capital. Eric stepped onto the field at the Estádio da Luz at a critical moment and in a hostile context, and managed to score the equalizing goal that, in addition to completing the comeback for the Blaugrana, boosted Hansi Flick's confidence in him.

The German rewarded his great performance in Lisbon by giving him a starting position last weekend against Valencia over Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen, who now seem to be the last option in the coach's rotation plan. After the match, Flick praised him  "for the many solutions he offers us, he is a player who plays well and builds from the back" and confirmed that "he will continue with us all year".

Thus, Eric's season had just begun. The player has been a '10' professional at all times, showing himself willing to play wherever his coach asked and accepting his role without a frown or complaint. Now, his effort and sacrifice are being rewarded.