Depay aware of Barca expectancy after first goal
Memphis Depay claimed he will thrive on the expectancy at Barcelona after scoring his first goal for the club in a friendly match.
The Netherlands forward converted an 85th-minute penalty as Barca clinched a 3-1 win over Girona at Johan Cruyff Stadium on Sunday (AEST).
Depay joined the Blaugrana on a free transfer earlier this month after his contract expired with Ligue 1 club Lyon.
"I know they expect a lot from me," Depay said after the match.
"I'm very happy to have played with this shirt. I enjoyed the fans in the stadium, they were very enthusiastic throughout the match and they have shown a lot of energy.
"I work hard to provide incredible moments for Barca fans.
"When we play in the stadium it will be incredible too. The fans will give us energy."
Depay netted 76 goals in 178 appearances for Lyon, where he enjoyed an impressive final season in Ligue 1 with 20 goals, trailing only Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, who scored 27 goals.
The 27-year-old's 12 assists and 94 chances created were more than any other player managed in France's top flight in 2020-2021.
In all competitions, meanwhile, Depay scored 22 goals last term at an average of one goal every 141.5 minutes, making it his second-best season since arriving.
He massively exceeded his expected goals (xG) total of 12.38.
"He is a high-quality player," Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman said of Depay after the win over Girona.
"He has shown it in certain moments of the game. It is important because you have to have competition in the positions at the top.
"Some players may have more minutes than others in pre-season. The internationals, not yet. Little by little we will give more. We will try to be prepared for the first league game."
