Samuel Umtiti corrects the record over Barcelona ‘prison’ remarks

Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti has moved to clarify comments he made in an interview this week.

The French international, who is currently on loan at Serie A side Lecce, has confirmed he was misquoted in an interview with Canal+, regarding his La Blaugrana career.

Umtiti was initially claimed to have made a comparison to his time at the Camp Nou and being ‘in prison’, based on his struggles with injury and form in Catalonia.

However, the 29-year-old has firmly looked to state that was not his point, but admitting he did struggle, prior to leaving for Italy last summer.

“To all journalists, newspapers. If you need help translating, you can call me next time. Depression is depression, nothing to do with “prison” or jail. Thank you very much”, he posted on his Instagram account.

🚨 Samuel Umtiti has corrected the poor translations made by the media recently through his Instagram story. He clarifies that he meant ‘depression’ in his interview which was mistranslated to ‘jail’. pic.twitter.com/8Wo8urJvMm

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) May 26, 2023

Umtiti’s original point over finding it hard to force his way into the Barcelona team, and how that subsequently impacted his mental health, remains unaltered by the 29-year-old.

“I don’t know if it was depression, but it was really complicated and difficult on all levels.

“I closed myself off a lot. There were times in Barcelona that I didn’t want to leave the house. My friends told me to go out, to try and change my mood, but I said no, I wanted to be alone. It was very complicated.”

Umtiti has played a regular role for Leece this season, as they face a tight battle against relegation in the coming weeks, but he is expected to return Barcelona in June, before possibly moving on permanently.