Formed in the youth ranks of Barça, Joan Verdú made his name at Espanyol. His four seasons with the blue and white club were highly successful, which caught the attention of Betis. His signing for the Seville team took him out of his comfort zone. "The fans went from asking me to play for the national team to criticizing me. The situation went from grim to dark in a short time. It's hard to swallow. In the end, you have to put things into perspective because it's all about sport. I understood that the role of a sports psychologist is essential."