The Bartra Method

Marc Bartra is currently on a great run of form. Puyol and Mascherano’s injuries have allowed him to work his way into the first team and he has taken full advantage of the opportunity, to the point that the Camp Nou faithful is no longer demanding a centre-back in the January transfer window. However, getting this far has been no easy feat for the youngster. He needed the defence to be stripped to its bare bones before he got his chance.
Despite this, he never took his eye off the ball and a big part of his success is his mental strength. Contrary to popular opinion, the mind can also be trained and that is exactly what Bartra has been doing for three years, since he put himself in the hands of a life coaching company.
The preparation he has received can be seen in his recent comments. "My aim is to remain consistent and ambitious," he said after the game against Valladolid, his third consecutive start. In fact, his coaching sessions showed him to not throw in the towel when he was not getting the regular run in the team that he wanted. His perseverance and patience have been decisive and now he is reaping the rewards.
The defender, who is currently negotiating a new deal said recently: "I’m growing up and I feel much more confident."
Bartra’s contract at the club is up next year, which means that he can negotiate with any team he wants from 1st January. A while back, there appeared to be no hurry for the defender to renew his terms, but Barça has now made him an offer and hopes he will pen a new deal before Christmas.