Deulofeu expected Barca return

Gerard Deulofeu insists he never feared for his Barcelona future after he was allowed to join Everton last summer.

The winger has told Mundo Deportivo that he believed he could use the experience gained away from the club to bolster his chances of making an impact at Camp Nou, and thanked Everton for the opportunity.

“I always thought I’d return to Barca. I’m very confident in myself,” the 20-year-old said.

“I worked hard at Everton, I learned many things and I was lucky enough to achieve my goal of returning home.

“I learned personally and in football. Until you’re away, and you have no family, the food, the weather…you don’t know what you have and you learn to value things.

“As a player I’ve learned to appreciate the defensive aspects. It’s been very helpful.

“It’s true it was always said people don’t return but both Rafinha and I have managed to use the experience to come home and now we have to work hard to succeed.”

Deulofeu expanded on what he learned at Goodison Park and said he hopes to keep improving under Barca Coach Luis Enrique, under whom he played for Barca B.

“Now any team requires you to help defensively. I think I’ve improved a lot and I’ve polished missing aspects of my game, but gradually I’ll improve, God willing,” he continued.

“I think [Luis Enrique] is a very brave Coach. I was fortunate to debut with him when I was 16 but here there are no free lunches and there is nothing done.

“I have to earn my place by working hard every day and wait for my chance. He is a Coach who likes to work a lot with the players.”

Deulofeu also touched on the rivals he is competing with for a place under Enrique, including, potentially, Liverpool forward Luis Suarez.

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