Valverde spoke to me just once in 7 months - Ex-Barcelona star

Colombian defender Yerry Mina has reflected on his brief and turbulent stint at FC Barcelona, revealing the struggles he faced during his time at Camp Nou and the reasons that pushed him to leave the club.

The 30-year-old, now playing for Cagliari in Italy, joined Barcelona in January 2018 from Palmeiras for €12.4 million, but managed just six appearances before sealing a move to Everton seven months later.

Mina revealed that his career could have taken a different path, as Real Madrid were also keen to sign him before he chose the Blaugrana.

“Real Madrid were also there, but I wanted to play for Barça,” Mina recalled in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport (via SPORT).

Despite fulfilling his dream of wearing the Barcelona shirt, Mina admitted his time at the club was marred by a lack of trust from then-manager Ernesto Valverde.

“Ernesto Valverde only spoke to me on the first day. For seven months, he did not speak a word to me.

“Despite winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey, I played very little and I suffered a foot injury after a foul by Rakitic in training,” the defender revealed.

Mina stressed that although he felt the warmth of the Barcelona supporters, he wanted regular playing time, something he couldn’t get at Camp Nou.

“I wanted to leave Barcelona, although the fans loved me. But I wanted to play,” Mina explained.

Mina went on to enjoy a more stable period in the Premier League, where he spent five years with Everton and worked under world-class managers.

“Those were five fantastic years. Carlo Ancelotti counted on me… We started well, but then five of us got injured and the level of the team dropped. But the Premier League is a beautiful league,” Mina reflected.

Although his spell at Barcelona was short-lived and frustrating, Mina remains remembered for his towering presence and passion on the field.

In total, he managed only six games and one assist during his seven-month stay.