Leeds United man reveals why he has paused studies and singles out Elland Road ‘big brother’

Roca says he has temporarily put his studies on hold, in order to integrate fully at Leeds United, focusing entirely on his on-pitch performances since joining this summer. The Spaniard revealed in an interview with Marca that he is a keen learner and has enrolled at the Johan Cruyff Institute in Barcelona which is ‘an educational institution, aimed at educating sporting professionals in the field of sport management.’

"The truth is that it has not yet started,” Roca said of his extra-curricular course. “We are doing a pause right now. Doing these first months [in Leeds] is very important for me to focus one hundred [per cent] on football.

"I do not have much time right now to focus on studies, but yes it is true that I keep reading, keep trying to grow,” he added.

Roca also discussed his adaptation period at Leeds, aided by the several Spanish-speaking members of the current Leeds squad.

"We obviously have a good group of Spaniards and I already knew Junior from the [Spain] Under-21s. I had met Diego [Llorente] and Rod not yet, but from the first moment they treat me super well.”

The 25-year-old singled out Rodrigo Moreno in particular as a dressing room leader and mentor-type figure since arriving from Bayern Munich in June.

"It is not easy when you come to a new place, a new country.

"Rodrigo is a leader within the locker room, he is a very important player, he has already scored six goals which is a very high figure right now.

"He has scored in two games in a row and he is a very important player for us and I can tell you that he took me [in] from that first moment like an older brother, we get on very well,” Roca added.

Rodrigo has been part of Jesse Marsch’s ‘leadership council’ since the American’s arrival earlier this season, as an informal representative for the dressing room’s foreign contingent. His wearing of the armband in selected fixtures this year indicates his importance to the head coach, as well as, evidently, the regard he is held in by teammates such as Roca.