Damián Díaz returns to Barcelona with feet on the ground, and a hamstring tear

A return always carries different weight when the place you're going back to was the stage of your best years. That's the case for Damián "Kitu" Díaz, who was presented at a press conference as the newest addition to Barcelona Sporting Club and didn't dodge a single topic: not the team's difficult present, not the rumors that followed him for weeks, not even the doubts about his physical condition.

The midfielder, who already has a long history with the club from Guayaquil, admitted this return carries strong emotional weight. "You always have the desire to go back to the place where I was happy for practically half of my career, beyond the mistakes and the good decisions I've made over time at Barcelona," he said.

A grounded homecoming

Kitu didn't come promising miracles. He knows exactly what kind of moment the club is going through, and he preferred to tone down expectations before anyone else could inflate them for him. "I'm focused on the club, on contributing the way I always have. I know it's not going through one of its best moments, but on my end it's about contributing wherever I'm needed, with the responsibility that defines me. Hopefully things start changing for the better," he explained.

He also described how his return came together behind the scenes. He spoke about an earlier conversation with César Farías, who had reached out to him midyear, though at that point the player chose to stay where he was: "He mentioned the possibility to me, but I thought at the time it wasn't ideal for a bunch of outside reasons, and also because I was at a club that had given me the chance to play and be important." As the months went by, things fell into place, though the decision wasn't an easy one: he didn't want to leave City, the club that had opened that door for him, in an awkward spot.

Asked about the noise generated on social media over the past two weeks, he was direct and to the point: "I try not to read social media much. They've made up all kinds of nonsense over the last two weeks. I didn't disrespect anyone. I know that stuff sells, that if I'm not playing I'm supposedly sad, that I don't let the young guys play."

If any of the coaches or presidents I've had feel I treated them badly, I swear on my two kids I'll walk out of here tomorrow.Damián Díaz

The physical doubt and the debut against Independiente

The schedule shows no mercy. Barcelona has one of the toughest assignments of the year coming up, against Independiente, a rival that has been picking up points steadily. "Tomorrow we might have one of the hardest matches of the year, against a rival that's picked up a lot of points, and we'll try to compete without losing our heads over it. We need to tone it down a bit, I've been on the other end where things are taken calmly," he analyzed.

On his availability, Kitu was honest: he's carrying a hamstring tear that kept him out for three weeks, and it was only this past week that he was able to train normally. "On top of the age factor, it's not easy adjusting to the environment, and we have to go along with what the coaching and medical staff decide. I always want to play, but I'm aware I need to be at 100 percent or better," he admitted.

As for the jersey number, he played down a topic that usually stirs up expectation at Barcelona: "I imagine for marketing reasons it would be ideal, but I have no problem either way. I'd never say to take it from someone else and give it to me. It's not about a captain's armband or a number, I'm here to help."