Juanjo Brau dedicated 25 years to FC Barcelona, including 18 years working with the first team, caring for iconic players like Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Gerard Piqué, and Andrés Iniesta. He reveals that working with elite athletes involves immense pressure and responsibility, especially when managing injuries that are common at the top level.
He notes the individual approach required for each player; Messi’s rehabilitation and fitness routines evolved as he learned to adapt his playing style to his body’s capacities, reducing injury risk and extending his career. Ronaldinho, in Brau’s words, was on a different level – his talent and training attitude stood out even among stars.
Brau emphasizes that the success seen in 90 minutes on the pitch rests on the huge unseen efforts of the medical staff. One of his proudest achievements is developing a project to adapt the La Masia youth model specifically for physiotherapy, believing that the club must nurture its own health specialists to maintain continuity despite changes in coaching staff.
He also discusses challenges arising from conflicting external opinions versus internal staff, which can complicate player rehabilitation. Maintaining a cohesive team deeply integrated with the club’s culture is therefore vital for success.
Brau’s experience offers an insider’s view of elite football medical work, underscoring how coordinated support helps preserve player health and, by extension, Barca’s on-field stability.
