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Riqui Puig: The FC Barcelona youth academy, known as La Masia, develops young players and guides them in the club’s philosophy and techniques.
The academy is located at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper training facility in Barcelona, Spain’s Sant Joan Desp district.
It is considered one of the world’s top youth academies thanks to its many renowned professional athletes, like Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, and Gerard Piqué.
Riqui Puig is one of the players who recently left La Masia.
The young prodigy left FC Barcelona, where he was destined for glory, in search of greater possibilities.
Last season, he found refuge with the Los Angeles Galaxy team.
The break
Given that the regular season starts next month, it is not unexpected that Puig currently has a lot of free time.
Most people appear to be excited by the prospect of vacationing in Los Angeles, with Riqui Puig proving to be the exception.
Rut Vilar, a Spanish journalist, disclosed something on the “Tot Costa” program on Catalunya Radio.
“Riqui Puig is bored in Los Angeles.”
“Los Angeles and Miami are not pleasant cities to live in,” she explained. “Everything is by car, there is no nucleus.”
“When you are used to doing a lot in the city, as is the case with Riqui Puig, for example, it is not the same in Los Angeles or Miami as it is in New York.”
Before the broadcast, Puig was sighted in Barcelona.
He visited his former teammate Gerard Piqué at the King’s League project.
2022 season
Riqui Puig made his LA Galaxy debut in 2022, helping the team to a fourth-place finish.
Despite the team’s limitations, the midfielder is optimistic about its prospects of winning the MLS Cup in 2023.
“We were closer to winning than they were, honestly,” said Puig after their semifinal loss to rival LA FC. “But soccer is like that.”
“It’s not the best team that wins, the team that scores the most goals wins. Soccer is about scoring goals.”
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Puig
The Los Angeles Galaxy’s latest midfielder, Riqui Puig, is a Spanish-born professional soccer player.
Puig completed FC Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia, where he enrolled when he was nine years old.
He progressed through the academy levels, making his senior team debut in 2018.
Riqui Puig is well-known for his technical skill, ball control, and vision in the middle of the field.
He is also thought of as a future talent with promise and potential.
Additionally, he has played for Spain’s U-21 national team.
From Barcelona to LA
Riqui Puig moved to Los Angeles on a free transfer from Barcelona in August 2022.
Even though he had only been on the squad for a short while, he had made a big impression.
“I think the results are there to see,” said the La Masia product. “I came with a lot of motivation.”
“When you’re not active for a while, not getting minutes, you want to prove yourself.”
“I came here, they put their confidence in me, I played, and I think I showed [what I can do].”
LA Galaxy 2023
The Galaxy roster for this season will be entirely new as a result of the team releasing eight players from last year.
Sasha Kljestaan, a legend in the MLS, will retire.
Kevin Cabral frees up the team’s designated player spot by joining the Colorado Rapids.
Cabral will depart with Chicharito and Douglas Costa as well.
The LA Galaxy had already acquired Chris Mavinga and Memo Rodriguez while being prohibited to sign players from abroad.
In contrast, Riqui Puig is confident in the team’s chances of success this year.
“I think last year, I wanted to make the playoffs. I think I got here a little too late,” he said.
“But this year, starting from zero, we have a big chance to win the league, and I think we’re going to win it.”
“We need to show that the Los Angeles Galaxy still have a lot to be done and are still a big name.”
References:
Former Barcelona midfielder Riqui Puig “gets bored” in Los Angeles
Riqui Puig: LA Galaxy “have a big chance” to win MLS Cup in 2023
