Deulofeu: "Maybe my style's closer to Madrid's or City's"
The Watford winger confessed it was tough going back to Camp Nou: "It was terrible, every day in the media you're the 'new Messi' - and that's not good for a young player".
Gerard Deulofeu left Barcelona in search of regular playing time - somewhere where he would not be subjected to the same, incessant pressure he was under at Camp Nou. He seems to have found his niche in England with Watford and admitted that the repeated comparisons to Leo Messi only made his life a misery. “That was difficult; when I was youngIt was terrible, every day in the media you are 'the new Messi' - and that's not good for a young player”, he told The Watford Observer.
Deulofeu has rediscovered his best football at Watford
Deulofeu had loans spells at various clubs - Sevilla, Everton and AC Milan but it wasn't until this year that a club came along to buy him outright. Watford paid 13 million euros for the midfielder who is adamant he won't be going back to Barcelonain a hurry. “I don't want to go back. I tried twice and if it didn't work then, I don't want to try it a third time... it's too hard. Playing there is so difficult and sometimes I didn't get the chance to play or gain the confidence of the club. But I'm here at Watford and I'm still young. I'd been at Barcelona since I was nine years old, but sometimes you don't feel it's home. That's why I don't want to go back”, the 24-year-old added.
Deulofeu also feels that maybe his style contrasted with that of the Blaugranas. “I learned to become at Barça but maybe my style is more similar style to a Real Madrid or Manchester City player”, he ended.
