Speaking to Zona Mixta ahead of the upcoming La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Betis , former sporting director Planes reflected on his time at both clubs.

Planes was the technical director at Barça for three years between 2018 and 2021, and was responsible for some important signings during that period, including superstar Pedri and Ronald Araujo.

The 58-year-old then spent a year at Getafe before being named the Real Betis sporting director for a short period during 2023/24.

During the interview, Planes discussed his role in bringing Pedri and Araujo to Barcelona.

The Spanish midfielder arrived from Las Palmas in August 2020, following an agreement reached in September 2019 for a fee of €5 million.

Planes stressed that recruiting a young player is only the beginning of the process and that clubs must continue to support them when difficulties arise.

“You cannot back a player and then abandon him. You have to stay in constant contact with the player and show him that you believe in him,” he explained, as quoted by SPORT .

“When you sign a player, everything is wonderful, but then difficulties start. The coach does not pick you,” Planes added.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "El ex directivo del Barcelona reflexiona sobre los fichajes de Pedri y Abde: 'Generaron muchas críticas'" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Live Scores metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Soccer2026 LiveWire Editorial Desk. Readers following "El ex directivo del Barcelona reflexiona sobre los fichajes de Pedri y Abde: 'Generaron muchas críticas'" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.