Congo midfielder Charles Pickel has sent a pointed message to his coach Manolo González as he leaves Espanyol de Barcelona. Returning to US Cremonese after his loan spell, the player expressed regret over his limited playing time in Catalonia.
In a message posted on social media to bid farewell to the club, Pickel showed his gratitude to Espanyol and its fans, while also letting some frustration shine through.
“On a personal level, I would have liked to have more playing time and felt I deserved it,” admitted the Congolese international.
During the season, the midfielder featured in 26 matches for a total of 917 minutes, but started only four times in La Liga and twice in the Copa del Rey. It’s a record he considers insufficient given his performances and commitment.
Despite this disappointment, Pickel chose to focus on the positives from his time in Barcelona. The former Cremonese player highlighted the bonds he formed at the club and his attachment to the city, where he even dreams of living one day with his family.
⚽ Message from Pickel to Manolo González: “I would have liked to have had more minutes, I deserved them”🇨🇬 The Congolese footballer, who is already focusing on the World Cup, said goodbye to Espanyol after a season wearing the blue and white shirt✍️ @marcmarinn https://t.co/9F7vI6lAxF
— Diario SPORT (@sport) May 31, 2026
His adventure at Espanyol thus ends on a bittersweet note. Scorer of one goal this season, he also endured tough moments, including two consecutive red cards that marred his campaign. Now, the Congolese midfielder turns the page and focuses on the 2026 World Cup before heading back to Italy.
Piala Dunia 2026
Piala Dunia FIFA 2026 akan menjadi edisi paling revolusioner dalam sejarah sepak bola dunia. Turnamen ini untuk pertama kalinya akan diselenggarakan di tiga negara sekaligus, yaitu Amerika Serikat, Kanada, dan Meksiko. Selain itu, jumlah peserta juga meningkat dari 32 menjadi 48 tim, membuka peluang lebih besar bagi negara-negara dari berbagai konfederasi untuk tampil di panggung global. Format baru ini akan menghadirkan lebih banyak pertandingan, atmosfer kompetisi yang lebih luas, serta jangkauan penonton yang semakin besar di seluruh dunia.
Dengan skala yang jauh lebih besar, FIFA menargetkan turnamen ini sebagai ajang yang tidak hanya kompetitif tetapi juga spektakuler dari sisi teknologi dan pengalaman penonton. Stadion-stadion modern di berbagai kota tuan rumah telah dipersiapkan untuk menghadirkan pertandingan berkelas dunia, didukung oleh inovasi seperti peningkatan sistem VAR dan pengalaman digital bagi fans. diprediksi akan menjadi tonggak baru dalam evolusi sepak bola internasional, memperkuat popularitas olahraga ini sekaligus menciptakan momen-momen bersejarah yang akan dikenang dalam waktu lama.
