Vitor Roque arrives in Barcelona: when will he make his debut for the LaLiga club?

Barcelona have gone all in on Vitor Roque. “All I Want for Christmas is You” was the message the LaLiga giants posted on social media alongside a video of the teenager kissing the club’s crest as he sported the home kit. The Brazilian, nicknamed “Tigrinho” (the ”little tiger”), is to arrive in Catalonia on Wednesday, with many of a Barça persuasion pinning their hopes on him being the solution to their recent issues in attack, which Xavi Hernández himself has highlighted.

Barça looking to Roque to turn form around

The 43-year-old coach has ended 2023 with a number of public rants at his own players, calling the team’s performances “unacceptable” in his most recent press conference. Now, La Blaugrana believe the 18-year-old can help them turn their form back around.

Roque, who will turn 19 in February, joins Barcelona having scored 28 goals and provided 11 assists in 81 games for Athletico Paranaense in his homeland. There is no doubting his potential; he has already made his debut for Brazil and scored eight times in 11 appearances for the under-20 team. However, many believe it isn’t entirely wise to view a teenager as some kind of saviour, especially as he has just recovered from an injury.

Striker following in Neymar’s footsteps

The striker will move from Brazil to one of European soccer’s biggest teams without using another club as a stepping stone, unlike some of his compatriots before him. Ronaldo and Romário both had spells at PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, Rivaldo played for Deportivo La Coruña and Ronaldinho spent two years with Paris Saint-Germain.

Roque, on the other hand, is taking the Neymar route, although the former Santos star was three years older, considerably more experienced and had already won the Copa Libertadores before moving to Catalonia.

Who could Vitor Roque face on his Barcelona debut?

Big things will be expected of the teenager, who got married in October, when he arrives in Barcelona on Wednesday. He is set to take part in his first training session on Thursday, with his official unveiling scheduled for 3 January. His Barça debut could then come away to Las Palmas in LaLiga on 4 January. It seems the pressure is also on for him to get off to a fast start.