Former Barcelona defender opens up on difficult spell and painful exit - 'I suffered from loneliness' | Barca Universal

"I suffered from loneliness. I didn't want to talk to anyone. Meanwhile, I was injured and played very little."

"If you are not well psychologically, your body does not perform at its best and your performance suffers."

"We need to help football players, who are often catapulted into gigantic realities. You have to have the courage to say that you are not well."

"I'm a man of few words; my heart communicates better than my mouth. Perhaps those tears came straight from my heart. I was coming from a difficult period; people didn't understand me. I needed genuine love, and they showed it to me from the very first minute in Lecce."

Playing for top European clubs brings intense pressure and high expectations that can overwhelm players. Samuel Umtiti experienced a decline at Barcelona driven by recurring injuries, poor form and psychological strain. He suffered loneliness, withdrew from social contact, and featured very little while injured. Mental distress reduced his physical capacity and harmed on-field performance. He emphasized the need to help players thrust into enormous public scrutiny and the importance of having the courage to admit when one is not well. His arrival at Lecce produced emotional relief as fans offered genuine love and understanding.

Read at Barca Universal