Barcelona told Fermin Lopez is ‘a different player’ whose stubborness will help him

Fermin Lopez’s emergence at Barcelona this season has come as no surprise to one of his former team-mates Hugo Diaz.

The veteran forward played alongside Lopez last season at Linares, during his loan spell, and says he knew straightaway he was a special talent.

“The first time I trained with Fermín López, I immediately saw that he was a different player because what he did was not normal,” he told RAC1.

“In the first training session he turned like he did a couple of times against Sevilla. I don’t know how he does it, but he turns with a lot of power.

“Our captain, Rodri, was not there due to a medical problem and called me to ask me about him. ‘How’s the kid?’, he asked. “He’s scary, I answered him.”

Diaz also outlined how Lopez’s mentality will also help him when it comes to making the breakthrough at Barcelona.

“He is very stubborn and this has helped him reach the Barcelona first team. You can get the physique through training and he took care of himself, but he was very shy when he arrived and here, in a dressing room full of veterans, he started to believe in himself,” he said.

“He was very loved in the locker room and we were all aware of his potential. He does everything very naturally and it is a pleasure to see him play.”

Lopez impressed against Mallorca and Sevilla and will be hoping for plenty more minutes in the first team, starting on Wednesday when Xavi’s team take on Porto in the Champions League.