Due to the recurring injury issues, the centre-back barely played following the World Cup success as he battled hard to get back onto the field. However, disagreements with Barcelona over treatment options and the mental toll of dealing with his physical issues caused problems between the player and the club. 

Umtiti, who now works as a pundit for DAZN, recently told RMC: “After the World Cup, I wanted to take some time to find out exactly what I had and make the right decisions about my treatment. We weren’t necessarily in agreement with the club, so I decided to look elsewhere, to see specialists so that everyone could give me their opinion. Most of them told me that I didn’t need to have surgery. In the end, Barcelona listened to my choice, to what I wanted.

“But I think there were things that happened internally that people didn’t necessarily appreciate, whereas I have enormous respect for everyone. Just because I’m not doing my rehabilitation with you doesn’t mean I don’t love you. No, it’s just that I had decided on something else because what you offered me didn’t work out. But ultimately, from that moment on, I think the rift was created and people started talking, saying things that weren’t necessarily true, putting all the blame on me. The most important thing for me was to come back.”

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