Ex-La Masia starlet highlights differences in training methods at Barcelona and PSG

Former Barcelona prospect Xavi Simons has highlighted the differences in the training methods that are incorporated at the club’s La Masia academy and his previous team, Paris Saint-Germain.

Simons was once regarded as the next big thing set to burst through the ranks of La Masia. The Dutch ace had joined Barça’s academy in 2010 and was making rapid progress in the youth circles.

However, he opted to leave the Blaugrana in 2019 to sign for Paris Saint-Germain, where he eventually made his first-team breakthrough. He spent three years with Les Parisiens, but could muster up only 11 senior appearances.

Simons left PSG this past summer, joining Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven on a free transfer, where he is currently thriving. Indeed, in 19 matches for the club, he has netted ten goals and set up four more.

Speaking in a recent interview (h/t Mundo Deportivo), the 19-year-old talked about how his time at Barcelona and PSG helped prepare him for the big stage, in particular highlighting the physical gym work that was done at the French outfit.

“I had to find something to defend myself during games. Believe me, at Barça they don’t work much in the gym, they work with the ball, but not in the gym. When I came to PSG I found the differences… At PSG they worked in the gym. The French league was very physical and I saw the differences directly,” he said.

Simons had been linked with a return to Barcelona in the recent past given as his contract with PSG was expiring. However, he ended up joining PSV instead with the move working out well for him so far.

With Barcelona dropping down to the UEFA Europa League, there is a possibility that they could come up against Simons and PSV at some stage in the competition.

The post Ex-La Masia starlet highlights differences in training methods at Barcelona and PSG appeared first on Barca Universal.

from Barca Universal https://ift.tt/y0AbPON
via IFTTT