Laporta rejects speculations of influence on Riqui Puig's playing time

Puig is still about 22 years old, and after making 14

games last season, he has yet to make an appearance this term. 

The central midfielder was expected to depart Camp Nou in the summer and was not included in Koeman's plans for the upcoming season. 

But Puig stayed, prompting some supporters to speculate that Laporta is such a huge fan of the youngster that he is pressuring Koeman to maintain and utilize him.

But that's rubbish, according to the Barcelona chairman, who said on Monday, as quoted by 

:

"I have never said he has to play.

"I may have said I like him, like I like Collado, but I will never pressure my coach.

"I ask the coach 'how is this one' or 'how is another one'. I don't want to lose a homegrown talent."

Laporta hasn't given us a lot of reason to believe anything he says recently, especially when it comes to the

Super League

and then the

Messi

tales, so it's no wonder that talk of him influencing Puig's playing time is nonsense. 

Puig is at the age where he should be starring for Barcelona every week, but he only played 14 La Liga games last season and 24 overall.  

Puig only started two Primera Division games after Laporta came, demonstrating that it is entirely up to Koeman to decide who plays and who does not.

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