Barcelona loanee defender opens up on future – ‘For now I will return’ | OneFootball

As the end of the 2023/2024 season is finally in sight, Barcelona’s focus is bound to be on the upcoming summer transfer window.

Apart from the imminent arrival of new faces and some player departures, finalizing the future of players sent out on loan last summer will also be a topic of interest.

Eric Garcia, who was loaned out to Girona in the closing days of last year’s summer window, will be completing his one-year spell.

And he will soon be locking horns against his parent club as Barcelona faces off against Girona at the Montilivi stadium.

Speaking to SPORT, Garcia touched upon a variety of topics related to his time at Barcelona and the foreseeable future.

Opening up about his time at Barcelona

When asked to rate the two seasons he spent at Barcelona, the defender remarked that the initial year as a team was challenging, while the second year went well with Barça winning La Liga.

“The first year was complicated as a group. There was a change of coach, then we took flight and entered the Champions League.

“The second season was very good and we won La Liga. On an individual level I didn’t have all the minutes I wanted and that’s why I made the decision to go out on loan,” Garcia said.

When questioned about the rumors suggesting that Xavi Hernandez did not support his departure, the 23-year-old responded:

“That’s right, it happened on the last day due to a ‘fair play’ issue and I was clear that if I left, it would be to go to Girona.“

Eric has done well at Girona. (Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images)

What happens at the end of the season?

Eric Garcia acknowledged that he is still a Barcelona player and that he has a contract to fulfill. Eventually, he will sit down with the club and discuss what is best for all parties.

“I’m going to return to Barça. I have a contract, I will return when the season ends and we will talk to the club to see what is there,” he claimed.

“For now I will return to Barça, it is my club. Obviously, at Girona I have been very good, they have treated me very well and even more so if we achieve what we are about to achieve,” he added.

Thoughts on Barcelona’s recent endeavours

Eric Garcia was asked about how he feels about the club’s season from afar, to which he replied that the loss to PSG stung, but their overall form in recent months has been positive.

“It’s been a bit of a screwed up few weeks for everyone, including me because I’m just another Culé.

“The PSG match was controlled, but these things happen in football, in the elite. I think, anyway, that Barça has had very good recent months,” Garcia exclaimed.

On the upcoming clash

While Barcelona and Girona are unlikely to contest for a first-place position, with Real Madrid running away with the title, both teams will be vying to secure a second-place finish.

“A special match as was the first leg. You play against your friends, against the team you belong to and are from. And as he says, important because we are playing for second place,” Garcia remarked.

Girona won the first match, which was played at the Montjuic. Garcia claimed it was a test of the team’s resolve, and they passed that challenge with flying colors.

“It was the game that changed Girona’s course a little. Going to Barça’s field and winning is not easy. It was a very important step. It was a test for us to see if we were prepared to compete with the greats and it turned out that we were,” he said.