Daniel Riolo delivered his analysis this Tuesday on Bradley Barcola's recent difficulties at Paris Saint-Germain. Despite the talent of the 22-year-old player, the show's editorialistAfter Foot on RMC admitted that he had been propelled to the top too quickly and that according to him Désiré Doué seemed more able to shine with the Ile-de-France club.
Quiet leader of Ligue 1 and autumn champion without trembling too much, PSG had a more complicated start to the season in the Champions League. Sparkling in the first months of the 2024-2025 campaign, Bradley Barcola seems to be suffering a bit lately. Without attacking him too much, Daniel Riolo recalled that despite his qualities, the 22-year-old winger was not cut out to replace Kylian Mbappé. At least not as easily as some had hoped.
“I'm a little angry because lately stats have started to come out about him. I think we didn't need stats, a magnifying glass, glasses, to see that in the Champions League we don't “wasn't there yet”, pointed out the editorialist this Tuesday in the show l'After Foot on RMC. “And the stats and figures that come out include the fact that there has been no goal or assist in the last eight games.”
“He will never be as strong as Mbappé!”
Not always agreeing with the choices of Luis Enrique at PSG, the member of theAfter Foot nevertheless recognized the lucidity of the Spanish technician on the Barcola case. If he refuses to destroy the French international despite his bad luck, Daniel Riolo regretted those who put him too quickly on a pedestal.
“There was an intervention from Luis Enrique to say: 'what do you mean, you're starting to ask questions about him when a month ago we were talking about him like Maradona'. There, for once, he Luis Enrique was absolutely right But that doesn't mean that he protected him a lot before since last year he sent the message that he expected Barcola to be Mbappé's successor,” the journalist continued. the antenna from RMC. “In any case, it has entered the heads of Barcola and his entourage that this was the case. And so, I want to speak out against this.”
Before specifying: “We know that the media works like that and that we need to invent stories, because we need players to highlight. What annoys me is the exaggeration and media narration with stories that we want to create like that of Barcola who should ultimately be Mbappé's replacement.”
“He will never be! He will never be as strong as Mbappé! That doesn't mean he won't have a great career, it doesn't mean he's not a good player.”
Barcola not “yet a top player”
Not always kind to Bradley Barcola, the nickname of Bambi with which he gave him disturbed the young talent of the Ile-de-France club, Daniel Riolo especially denounced the media treatment linked to his big transfer.
“Since the first day, I have been fighting against that. He arrived at PSG for a very high price. 50 million euros? That's huge for a player who had six months in Ligue 1. We immediately made one great player because he arrived at PSG It's risky to be the subject of a big transfer and to only have six months of Ligue 1 in your bag before arriving at. PSG. Because you know you are going to change the media context and we are going to be careful.”
And Daniel Riolo continued: “On the famous evening of PSG-Newcastle, I threw out the nickname (of Bambi) because I was very angry and because I don't like it when people are sent to the pipebreaker. players like that. Afterwards we enter the game where I say that he probably does not yet have the level for the Champions League. I was convinced of that and it's not that I always am but I think that. 'he's not yet a top player.”
“I think Doué is above Barcola”
But faced with the criticism that Bradley Barcola may be subject to, Daniel Riolo preferred to insist on the fact that he first seeks to help the player progress. In his analyses, the editorialist of theAfter Foot does not want to destroy for the sake of destroying a player but rather to help them reach a milestone. In his eyes, it is not the critics who undermine the morale of a young talent but rather those who put him at the top too quickly.
“We were able to forget Ntep and these kinds of players, like Mboula… We massacre players and not everyone takes compliments and transfers in the same way. And then they come and tell me, because I have nicknamed Bambi which was both mocking and emotional, while in other countries the criticism is as virulent as Mbappé who was cut up in Spain”, added Daniel Riolo this Tuesday. “I saw Luis Enrique's exit and I saw Barcola's state, I think he's not doing well. He's having a sort of aftershock, digesting all the waiting placed in him.”
Before concluding: “He is realizing that, probably even at the club, we say that Désiré Doué is more talented than him. Which I think. Intrinsically I think that Doué is above Barcola and so it's going to be complicated. But whether I've been made to seem like the super tough guy or this and that, I don't believe that those who are the toughest are the ones who give false compliments. and come up the guys at incredible speed.”
Jean-Guy Lebreton with RMC
