In the midst of celebrations for Barcelona’s 1-0 title winning match over Atletico Madrid, the whole team gathered around their traveling supporters to be serenaded for their 13th La Liga title. Amongst all the celebrations in the days following, there was a face that might not be too familiar to Barca fans. That face is Thomas Vermaelen, who has won his first league title in just one season with Barcelona on loan. Better yet, Vermaelen didn’t spend one minute on the pitch during the entire season.
After his short lived spell with the club, he also has the same amount of La Liga titles as Cristiano Ronaldo.
The former Arsenal defender was sent to the Catalan capital this season on loan in hopes of becoming a more rounded player to reenter the Emirates by next year. What Wenger had in mind for Vermaelen may have been a little different from Luis Enrique who was determined to win his first trophies as a manager with Barcelona.
Pique, Mascherano, Mathieu and Bartra were all preferred over the Thomas Vermaelen, but either way, that didn’t stop him from celebrating with his teammates after the win against Atletico. Arsene Wenger can only hope that he gained a lot from the training ground while in Spain when he returns to Arsenal, and eventually back to the pitch.