La Liga starlet confirms rejecting Barcelona for their bitter rivals – ‘I think I made the right choice’ | OneFootball

In a recent interview with AS (h/t Mundo Deportivo), RCD Espanyol youngster Omar El Hilali revealed that he had a chance to join FC Barcelona but opted for the Parakeets instead.

El Hilali, 21, has been a standout for Espanyol upon their return to La Liga this season, becoming a key player in the squad.

The Moroccan defender, who is primarily a right-back but can play anywhere across the backline, has earned praise for his versatility and talent, with some big teams taking note of his development.

El Hilali could have been at Barcelona

A product of the Espanyol academy, El Hilali has admitted that he had the opportunity to choose to join Barcelona’s La Masiaa but opted to sign for their local rivals’ youth setup.

“I had the opportunity to choose between Barça and Espanyol, and I chose Espanyol because I felt that it had to be that way, and my family also thought it was the best thing for me,” said the 21-year-old.

Omar El Hilali could have joined Barcelona. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

“It was the sporting project I wanted. And I think I made the right choice, because now I am living a dream,” he added.

El Hilali further revealed that Barça tried to sign him a second time at a later stage while Manchester United too showed an interest, only for him to stick with Espanyol.

“They [Manchester United] wanted me, just as Barça tried to sign me again, but I was very clear that I wanted to stay at Espanyol,” said El Hilali.

“Sometimes money can make you doubt, but that was not the case for me, because I knew what I wanted. I preferred to follow my heart, I felt that I had to stay here,” he explained.