France international Samuel Umtiti has said that his four years at Barcelona were like years spent in prison, not just as a footballer, but from every aspect of his life.
Having failed to meet the high expectations in Camp Nou, the Frenchman joined the ranks of Lecce on loan, a team fresh from their promotion into Serie A and scrapping fiercely for survival.
For Umtiti, the transition from Barcelona to the Italian upstart team was a sporting decision and a bid for personal redemption.
“It was a challenge for me, I needed to feel appreciated, respected and just useful,” he added, saying that he understands that fighting to avoid relegation is not the same as winning a title, as is usually the case at Barcelona.
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