Barcelona academy product Joan Gonzalez has been forced to retire at the tender age of 23 after reports from his doctors says he has heart conditions. The player who currently plays for Italian side Lecce was diagnosed by the club’s medics that he has a heart condition.
Joan Gonzalez was a product of the Barcelona youth academy and moved to Lecce’s youth team in 2021. The player made his way up to the senior squad, with 64 Serie A appearances in which he scored two goals and provided four assists.
According to reports, last summer, Lecce medics spotted an irregularity in his pre-season tests and ordered further investigation. Upon further check, specialists suggested he wait a year to see if the situation could be improved with treatment, but as the results remain the same, he decided to hang up his boots.
The club’s president Saverio Sticchi Damiani commenting on the issue said: “We saved his life.” He said this during a press conference at the end of the season. He also said: “I have to congratulate our medical staff and the cardiologist Professor Tondo, because they discovered this irregularity and saved the lad’s life. I also compliment Gonzalez, because he received the news with great calm.”
“Joan is already studying economics, and I hope he will become a great business manager,” he concluded. Having been off the field for a full year already, Gonzalez did not waste time and had already been enrolled at university to study economics and business, hoping to have a future in football behind the scenes.
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