Marc Bartra to have 'eyes wide open' against Barça

Sunday is going to be a big day at the Villamarín for Marc Bartra. His former club, Barça, are Seville for the game with Betis at 9.00pm CET.

The centre back joined La Masia in 2002/03 and made his first team debut on 14 February 2010 against Atlético Madrid. His last season at Camp Nou was 2015/16, after which he left for Borussia Dortmund and he has since moved back to la Liga Betis.

On Barça TV

Bartra spoke this week to the Hora B show on Barça TV, saying that “it will be very special for me after so many years at the club, and I have a lot of friends in the squad so it will be a very unusual day.”

The centre back played 103 games for the first team and although it was not his principal duty, he did manage to score six times.

This won’t be the first time he has met his former colleagues. Earlier this season, Betis were heavily beaten 5-2 in the Catalan capital. “When you play Barça it is time for everyone to be on their guard” he says. “You need your eyes wide open because it’s the team where the best players are”.

Quique Setién

He won’t only be meeting up with former team-mates, but also with a former boss in Quique Setién. “He has a very similar profile and philosophy to that of Barça” says Bartra. “He is loyal to a very defined style and has a very strong squad with which to do it”.

Bartra has always kept in close contact with the club where he grew up, and even penned an article for the website ahead of the Champions League clash between barça and Borussia Dortmund.