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Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez has been offered some key advice regarding young attacker Ansu Fati, who is struggling to rediscover his top form after recovering from a series of injuries.
Fati started Barcelona’s 1-1 draw against Espanyol on New Year’s Eve but struggled to make much of an impact. Indeed he was hooked after just 62 minutes having failed to manage a single effort on goal.
The game was just Fati’s fourth La Liga start of the season, but Xavi has been urged to keep faith with the youngster by former player and tactical analyst Alex Delmas for Cadena SER.
“The great challenge for Xavi’s Barça in 2023 is to recover the best version of Ansu Fati, I think it’s a matter of time,” said Delmas. “We have to trust. The time has come to give continuity to Ansu, I think he is the only player that can transform the game, Xavi must bet on him.”
Fati has already urged Xavi to play him more regularly this season after spending a lot of time on the bench. The attacker’s father, Bori Fati, has also insisted the striker needs to play more if he is to get back to his very best.
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Xavi Backs Fati
Barcelona coach Xavi did back Fati despite his ineffective showing against Espanyol. The manager said after the 1-1 draw that he was happy with the 20-year-old’s performance as reported by 90min.
“Ansu looks great, he has played because he is training very well, he has made a tremendous change in terms of defensive work,” he told reporters. “He has lacked the effectiveness that the team has also lacked, but I see him growing very well. He will be better.”
Xavi had said before the match that he expected that “from now on” Fati “will be more important for us” which suggests he will be offered more game time in the second half of the campaign.
Fati will certainly be needed if top scorer Robert Lewandowski’s three-match suspension is upheld. The Poland international’s ban was temporarily suspended before the game against Espanyol, but a final decision on whether it will stand has yet to be made.
Can Fati Rediscover Form?
Barcelona fans will certainly be hoping Fati can get back to his best. The forward burst onto the scene in 2019 at the age of 16 and promptly became the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer in La Liga with a strike against Osasuna.
Fati went on to break a host of records for the club, including becoming the youngest ever scorer in Champions League history, before his career was interrupted by a series of key injuries that have kept him sidelined for long spells.
The forward does appear to have put those injury problems behind him, and team-mate Eric Garcia has said he has seen a difference in the striker during training sessions.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing the best Ansu, in the World Cup training sessions I saw him with a different spark,” he said. “These days too, it’s something special he has. I hope he can show it. We all know what he has. It’s not easy what he’s gone through with injuries, he needs his recovery process. He’s strong mentally and works a lot in the gym. He’ll get his reward.”
If Fati can get back to his best level then he’ll likely feel like a new signing for Xavi and his team. The forward’s potential has always been obvious but there’s no doubt his injury problems have set him back significantly.
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