Barcelona starlet unhappy over limited role – ‘I respect Flick’s decisions, but he hasn’t been fair to me’ | OneFootball

Barcelona youngster Pablo Torre, currently with Spain’s Under-21 team preparing for the U-21 European Championships in Slovakia, spoke to SPORT from the training camp in Las Rozas.

The Barcelona midfielder, despite limited minutes under Hansi Flick, remains a key player for the national side.

Torre has struggled for prominence under Hansi Flick this season, having played only a little over 400 minutes, despite impressing whenever given a chance.

On Spain U-21 role

As such, the 22-year-old midfielder is eager to clarify his future after what he admits has been a difficult year, viewing the European tournament as a fresh opportunity.

“Yes, very important. With the national team I had not played any finals and I am very excited, very motivated. I can’t wait to get to Slovakia and for the first game to start,” he said about the U-21 Euros.

Expressing his gratitude towards Spain U-21 manager Santi Denia for trusting him, Torre added:

“Santi is phenomenal. He has always trusted me despite what you say, the lack of minutes, but he knows me very well, he knows what I can give him. And I’m very happy to come here with Santi and with the whole group.”

Pablo Torre currently with Spain U-21. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

On whether his limited role and lack of game-time at Barcelona will impact his form in the tournament, he stated:

“It’s true that you don’t arrive one hundred percent ready, but during this time I’ve also been training for a long time so that when it’s my turn both at Barça and with the national team I can be at one hundred percent physically and give my best.

“I’m feeling very well these days and I’m sure it will get better.”

On his role at Barcelona

Talking about his situation at Barcelona, where he has now been for three years but failed to establish himself, Torre admitted that he has not been playing as much as he would like.

“As you say, it’s true that I haven’t had as many minutes as I would have liked, but in the end, it’s been three years in teams with maximum competition and it was very difficult to get in.

“I think that when I’ve played I’ve been very good, and I think I’ve deserved much more in all the years. Football is like that and I feel like a much better footballer. Training with top-level players makes you grow.”

Torre then expressed gratitude towards former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez, who signed him from Racing Santander back in 2022, saying:

“Well, I’m grateful to Xavi. He has also brought out many players who are in the first team today, playing practically everything.

“I came from Racing, from the Primera RFEF, and I wasn’t very good physically. It was a big leap, but it was very good for me that year and I’m grateful that he took me to Barça.”

The youngster then reflected on his initial conversation with Hansi Flick and how the German tactician asked him to stay at the club in the summer.

“Yes, we did the pre-season with a lot of lads, I felt very good, I arrived well. And it’s true that he also wanted me to be there. We had a chat and he told me that it was difficult to get minutes, I already knew that, he didn’t need to tell me that,” recalled Torre.

“But in the end, you hope to get as many minutes as you can, football has a lot of injuries and you have to be prepared to be there. It was a decision I made together with my people, my parents, my agents….

“And it has been an incredible season. A pity about the Champions League, but we have been at a very high level.”

Torre began 2025 with a Man of the Match display in the Copa del Rey clash against Barbastro but barely played thereafter. Expressing his disappointment at that, he noted:

“I think I could have played many more minutes, I think I earned them. There was a lot of competition and it was difficult to get in, but I think he wasn’t fair to me and I told him that in a talk I had with him.”

Not happy with Flick’s decisions. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

On being asked if he was hurt that he did not play more, the midfielder replied: “That’s what I’m saying, I don’t think I was out of tune when I was on the pitch.

“These are things that the coach chooses, it’s true that there were no injuries and so it’s also very difficult for him to choose. I respect his decisions, but many times I didn’t understand them.”

Talking about the moment when Gavi asked Flick to substitute Torre onto the field instead of him during the game against Valencia, the 22-year-old said:

“I have a very special relationship with Gavi. He has always taken great care of me and thought about me, that I could enjoy the last few minutes.

“And yes, it didn’t sit very well with me because we were winning by a lot, there were 20 minutes left… I think he could have made better decisions, as I said, but well, I have nothing to say.”

Regarding Wojciech Szczesny naming Torre as one of the players who impressed him the most in training, the youngster said:

“I was happy with that answer because, in the end, it showed that my teammates also praised me, right? If you don’t want to see it, it’s not my fault.”

On his future

When asked if he was affected by the speculations and rumours about his situation at Barcelona, Torre replied:

“No, not at all, not at all. What people say in that sense, to put it mildly, I don’t give a damn.

“I focus on my own thing, on what my close people tell me, training to the maximum every day to keep improving and, if I’m honest, I don’t care what other people say to me.”

With a year left on his contract, Torre is linked with a summer exit, with offers from Italy and Bundesliga.

“Right now I’m focused on the European Championship. I’m very, very motivated, in fact, I haven’t been this motivated for a long time,” he remarked.

“Let’s see what happens, I don’t want to think beyond that, I’m here happy with my teammates, with the coach and let’s see if we get the European Championship.”

Continuing, he added: “In the end, we all want to play and where we are happiest is on the pitch. We’ll see what happens.”

On whether Deco, Flick, or the club had communicated to him about his future, Torre replied: “Well, that’s for me.”

About him having any offers, the midfielder did not want to comment and replied: “It’s just that I’m focused here now, I don’t want to bring up any subject. We’ll see what happens after the European Championship.”

On whether he would consider returning to Racing Santander if they were promoted to La Liga, Torre said:

“No, I think it is not yet time for Racing. I have already said that I will return to play there for sure, but I think it’s not time yet.

“I hope they go up, I hope they do great, there is a lot of enthusiasm now in Santander. Racing deserves to be in the First Division and I hope to see them soon.”