The Brazilian forward of Athletico Paranaense, Vitor Roque, comments on the current situation at Barça and reveals the sporting dreams he wants to fulfill as a culé in an interview with Mundo Deportivo. An upcoming reality for 'Tigrinho', since the Blaugrana club closed his arrival in Barcelona in July for 30 million fixed, plus 31 in variables, with a contract that links him to the Blaugrana entity until June 2030: “I can already imagine playing the Champions and LaLiga with Barça”, he projects about his future.
Roque, 18, confesses that he feels “very well” and “happy” to fulfill his dream of signing for the culé team, but now he is focused on recovering from his injury to the ligament in his left ankle: “Every day I'm going to the training center. I do physiotherapy, I always do two sessions and sometimes I also treat myself at night here (in Brazil)", explains 'Tigrinho'. In addition, he comments that his improvement "is being optimal" and that being young "helps a lot" to leave behind his inconvenience.
The ailments will keep him off the playing fields for at least another month. However, Vitor Roque is “calm” and “focused” on Athletico Paranaense and plans to play with the Rio club before the season ends: “If everything goes well, I think I will play,” he says.
The arrival of Vitor Roque in January 2024 at Can Barça is not yet confirmed. This does not worry the Brazilian '9', although he recognizes that being under the command of Well, calm down and I will prepare the next campaign at Athletico in the best way," he says. Landing in Barcelona was always "a dream" for the 'Tigre', despite receiving offers from many international teams to incorporate him into their ranks.
The help of Blaugrana footballers like Araújo and Raphinha helped forge the signing of the young man from Rio to Barça: “Before it closed, Araujo called me. He first sent a message to Canobbio – Uruguayan and Vitor's teammate at Paranaense – and told Canobbio to go to Barça: 'Come to Barça. Come play with us,' he told me, and then Raphinha sent me a message,” Roque reveals. The culé winger told the Athletico striker that they were “eagerly” waiting to play with him and that they would help him adapt to the club.
A message very similar to the one that Xavi Hernández sent him, when he called him for the first time with Deco: “They told me that they were happy for having been able to close my signing and that they were going to help me in every way, as a coach and as a friend off the field,” he stressed about the Barça coach and sports director.
On the field, he focuses on “a football legend” like Robert Lewandowski from whom he will “try to learn as much as possible from him, observing every step, every kick.” “Things are going to be easier” thanks to “playing alongside the best in the world”, according to 'Tigrinho', when asked about being alongside footballers like De Jong, Pedri, Gündogan or Gavi.
Vitor Roque wants to make his debut in the Champions League “by scoring a goal” and believes that he will make his dream come true “shortly.” Precisely, from the highest European competition, the match that most marked the player as a culé fan emerges: “The comeback from 6-1 against Paris Saint-Germain at the Camp Nou,” he says.
He has followed Barça since he was little and that is why some of his references are Romario, Neymar or Raphinha himself. Also Ronaldo 'O phenomenon' with whom he has been compared on more than one occasion: “I get happy because of those comparisons. He was an incredible player in Barcelona, also in the Brazil national team. I hope to follow the same steps and build more and more of my own story.”
