Barça Didn’T Believe in Simons. Now It Believes Its Own Version of the Story

Xavi Simons has finally explained why he left Barcelona at the age of 16. According to SPORT, as cited by Barça Universal, it was not about money or a greedy teenager being tempted by PSG. Barcelona simply told him they believed in other players and that he was not truly part of their plans. “Barcelona didn’t believe in me,” Simons admitted.

The Dutchman spent almost a decade at La Masia, but after his departure it was more convenient to portray him as a youngster who had chosen money. Barça do not only develop footballers. They are equally good at producing versions of events in which the club is always right and the blame belongs to the player, his agent, the regulations or an exceptionally unfortunate alignment of the planets.

Simons later developed away from Catalonia, became a Dutch international and was repeatedly linked with a return to Barcelona. The classic journey of a La Masia graduate: first you are not part of the project, then you become one of its biggest mistakes, and finally the club starts wondering how to bring you back.

The important thing is that whenever Simons succeeds, Barcelona can still remind everyone where he was developed. Barça may not have believed in him, but they will gladly accept credit for his career.