Following last month's surprise Southampton visit, Oriol Romeu has his club fans clapping him again although his preseason hasn't gone to plan.
For any player, a better training routine is a stepping stone for delivering elite performances but that's only the visible edge. There are many athletes who can have un-ignorable lapses in their play, but they have a good fan support behind them because they don't let emotions and mood swings decide their day on the playground.
That can be while uplifting everyone else in the face of a brutal defeat, or throwing every effort on the line to squeeze out a point before the referee searches for the whistle. Since, a pathetic half against Valenciennes, Ben Brereton Diaz has responded with a tireless grit.
At a certain stage, goals will be asked but getting a sniff of that after being inept in the first six months, is a good starting point.
Romeu shows his Southampton-level determination for Barcelona
Not in a look-alike manner, but former club icon Oriol Romeu has also lost the backing at Barcelona but still, he isn't letting his competitive traits hide underneath.
Barca Universal have pointed this out (citing Mundo Deportivo), saying: "Oriol Romeu is an example to follow in professionalism. Since being excluded from the Asian tour, he has been training daily without stopping at the club's facilities."
Even at St. Mary's, Romeu won't have Southampton fans list out five instances of him being lethargic and reserved to put in the work. Unlike Diaz, the 33-year-old won't get a return route at Barcelona doing this, but atleast other Spanish teams can be more welcoming to his conduct and talent in their squads.
And never count Barcelona out because no club is immune to injuries and that's where a reserve Romeu can slot in.