If ever there is an example of Barcelona destroying a promising career, it is Ibrahim Afellays tragic fall from grace. A sprightly and dangerous attacker at PSV, and with 44 caps to his name, Afellay has always been touted as a young gun on the cusp of great things. He had struck 35 Eredivisie goals in just 159 league appearances, alerting a host of top clubs to his exemplary talents. When Barcelona snapped him up in 2011, however, there was an heir of inevitably about what would happen next. Not quite anybodys fault, Afellay is a very capable player he just doesnt possess the world class je ne sais quoi required to break into the Barcelona front three. With Luis Suarez adding to the likes of Afellays competition past and present - Neymar, Messi, David Villa, Alexis Sanchez and Pedro, its easy to see why he hasnt quite made the grade at the Catalan giants. Admittedly, he has had his injury demons, consistently falling foul of niggles, stunting any sort of progress that he dared to mark at the Catalonians. Even so, Guardiola didnt trust the player whose services he had acquired in 2011, and restricted the winger to a bit-part role at the club, flogging him out on loan to Schalke 04.
Contrary to popular belief, Afellay is no longer a promising youngster patiently biding his time on the Barcelona bench. The Dutch winger will be blowing out 29 candles on his birthday cake this season, leaving him to wonder just where his career has gone.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
