FCBARCELONA.CAT

06.08.2008 09:59

Crosas: “A period of my life is over”

David Saura (enviat especial)

Marc Crosas, who joined Barça aged 13, is on the point of finalising his transfer to Celtic and recognises that this means that “a period of my life is over”.

The midfielder and cousin of Albert Jorquera was about to start his eighth season at Barça but in the end had to look for another team after being discarded by the coach. “I’ve been told right from the start I wasn’t part of their plans,” he said. “Things change a lot in football but you’ve got to be smart when you see how many excellent players they’ve signed.”

He is not sad to go but leaving Barça is a tough decision for any ex-academy player: “A period of my life is over. When you start out as a kid your goal is to make it to the first team but not everyone can get there. Football doesn’t stop here.”

Little playing time

The Catalan player regretted the fact that he hasn’t played much recently and therefore has not been able to show if he’s good enough or not to stay. He says he is going to improve as a player and that “time will tell whether I could have made it here”.

Celtic’s interest

Marc Crosas said that he had offers from other teams but in recent days the current Scottish champions have shown a lot of interest and “maybe that’s what tipped the balance, though things aren’t yet tied up”. The club has agreed basic terms for the transfer of the player in return for half a million euros plus €900,000 as a variable sum depending on the player’s game time, classification for the Champions League and titles won.

The 20-year-old midfielder says the chance to play in the Champions League again after having done so with Barça is attractive, but not with Olympique de Lyon, where he has been on loan for half a season. “Playing in a tournament like this is always important,” he said. His new side is “tough and very good”.