Setien: Fabian Ruiz is a player of an extraordinary level

Barcelona coach Quique Setien has praised his former pupil Fabian Ruiz as ‘a player of an extraordinary level’ and claimed the Napoli midfielder ‘only needed an opportunity’.

After brief reunion as opponents during the last 16 of the Champions League, when Barcelona drew 1-1 at the San Paolo, the tactician reveals Fabian entered to give his match-worn shirt to Setien and the rest of his former staff at Real Betis.

“He gave his Napoli shirt to the whole staff, a very important homage that reflects the class and humility of a lad that, when we were at Betis, contributed significantly to help us arrive where we did,” Setien told Barcelona’s official channel.

Setien took charge of Barca mid-season and Fabian has been linked with a return to Spain this summer, but mainly with a move to the Blaugrana’s rivals Real Madrid.

The Barcelona tactician hailed the Spanish midfielder’s talent and claimed it only took ‘one year’ to understand the 24-year-old’s ‘huge potential’.

“If we talk about him, everyone will think we are trying to bring him to Barcelona, but the truth is that we wish him all the best.

“His growth has been exponential. He only needed the opportunity; we gave him the chance and he grabbed it. He’s not only a great player but a great person.

“I trained him for one year, enough to understand that we had a player of an extraordinary level, with a huge potential and it’s effortless for him to showcase it.”