ASN: Youthful veteran Dest explains development on and off the sector at Barcelona

Sergino Dest arrived at USMNT camp on the heels of a profession milestone efficiency at Barcelona. Even nonetheless shy of his twenty first birthday and with simply 5 nationwide group caps, Dest is a veteran chief on this present group. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta wrote about Dests rise since his nationwide group choice 18 months in the past and through his 2020/21 season with Barcelona

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Brian Sciaretta

Posted
March 23, 2021
4:05 PM

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WHILE HE HAS simply 5 caps for the U.S. nationwide group and remains to be solely 20, Sergino Dest carries himself like a veteran on the group. For one, he has began within the Champions League with two totally different groups – Ajax and now the mighty Barcelona and likewise has huge youth nationwide group expertise enjoying in each the U-17 and U-20 World Cups. Most of all, nonetheless, the participant pool has expanded significantly within the 18th months since he publicly declared that he would signify the USA over his native Holland.

Now in Austria forward of the U.S. group’s upcoming friendlies in opposition to Jamaica and Northern Eire, Dest is surrounded by gamers who weren’t a part of the group within the fall of 2019. Christian Cappis, Brenden Aaronson, Owen Otasowie, Yunus Musah, Daryl Dike, Nicholas Gioacchini, Gio Reyna, Jordan Siebatcheu, Chituru Odunz, Bryan Reynolds, and Chris Richards are all new to the pool since that day. Two different gamers in Luca de la Torre and Erik Palmer Brown had restricted caps below interim supervisor Dave Sarachan however had been by no means a part of the common rotation.

These gamers include half the present roster that’s new since Dest declared. For a few of them, becoming a member of the pool took twin nationwide recruiting of their very own. Siebatcheu as soon as represented France’s U-21 group and Dike’s brother and sister performed for Nigeria. Musah, 18, nonetheless was a excessive profile “recruit” who has earned consideration for his first group performances at Valencia and his time enjoying for English youth nationwide groups.

For Dest, the most effective a part of his dedication is that nothing actually modified. The group was simply as welcoming earlier than he dedicated because it was afterward. Contemplating the brand new gamers, particularly Musah, Dest believes that can assist him.

Lionel Messi to Sergino Dest. Barcelona objective. That’s all you might want to know #USMNT pic.twitter.com/jSImZTxxfE

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) March 21, 2021

“Everybody feels welcome,” Dest defined. “For [Musah], even before he committed to the U.S. team, he was welcome. It’s just a good vibe. For me, personally, when I committed to the United States, it was actually the same as before. Obviously, people were happy that I chose the U.S., but there always has been a good vibe – that’s really good for the new players also, it’s one group, one nation.”

Like several veteran, nonetheless, Dest goes to have to supply management and luckily for the fullback, he arrives on this camp enjoying a number of the finest soccer of his younger profession. On Sunday, he scored two targets for Barcelona in a 6-1 rout over Actual Sociedad to assist the group stay simply 4 factors again of leaders Atletico Mardid.

“I was really, really happy to score two goals in a game,” Dest mentioned. “I think I needed it. It was about to come. I hit the cross bar and then I hit the post against Sevilla. It finally came. I was really happy because it was important for the team. It was the second and third goals and I think as a team, we put out a really good result. We have to continue it.”

Final August, Dest made the historic switch from Ajax to Barcelona and have become the primary American to play for the storied membership’s first group. Barcelona can also be in a transitional interval because it has moved on from its iconic core and Lionel Messi is maybe in his closing yr with the membership. Dest was signed as one of many gamers who might comprise of the subsequent core.

This season has been principally optimistic for Dest however it’s not with out its struggles. One such interval got here within the Champions League throughout its Spherical of 16 first leg loss to Paris St. Germain. Within the 4-1 defeat at house on February 17,  Dest not solely struggled to include Kylian Mbappe however he additionally was unable to get into harmful positions – having only one contact within the closing third.

Shortly after that loss, Barcelona supervisor Ronald Koeman made key formational change the place he went with a three-man central defender lineup with two wingbacks pushing additional up. With Dest enjoying wingback, he was given extra freedom to push into the assault.

“I think this system fits the whole team really well – especially for me,” Dest defined. “I think it’s a little bit better because I have someone behind me and I like to take some risks in my game. If I get to take risks in the game, I am at my best.. of course, it can go wrong but now I have someone behind me and that is really, really good for me. As a team, the system really fits the whole team. We are winning and scoring a lot of goals.”

“In the new system, [Koeman] just said to me if you can, just go – go,” he added. “That’s something that fits me really well. My attacking abilities are my strengths. I feel like I can take more risks..I feel like I can grow more in this positions and be more helpful to the team.”

Since that first-leg loss to PSG, Barcelona has not misplaced. Over its final eight video games together with six in La Liga, the return leg in opposition to PSG, and one within the Copa del Rey, Barcelona has received six and drawn two. It has outscored its opponents 24-4 together with scoring 10 targets in its final two La Liga video games.

With World Cup qualifying and Barcelona discovering its groove, Dest believes he has matured lots as particular person and as a participant. On the sector, he has realized to just accept roles whereas additionally enhancing on his choice making on the sector – one thing that can assist him with the nationwide group as properly. Off the sector, the expectations at Barcelona are on one other degree in comparison with Ajax or simply about some other membership on the earth. Whereas he has had his down moments at Barcelona this season, studying easy methods to rebound below that highlight has made his stronger.

“I feel like I am growing as a player because I am growing with the team,” Dest mentioned. “Sometimes I feel like playing without too much risk is good for me because I am a player that likes to take risks and likes to bring flair into the game but I’ve learned sometimes it is better not to do that and wait for the moment to come.”

“Obviously there is pressure playing for such a big club like Barcelona,” he continued. “For me, the pressure doesn’t affect me a lot. I just try to play my own game. Of course, you have some bad games but if you’re looking through social media, that is going to make it bad. It’s not good for your mental recovery after a good or bad game.  I just play. If I have a bad game, it’s on to the next game. I don’t focus on the media, that can break some people.”

“I am at the right place to hit my full potential.”