While Xavi and FC Barcelona are not having the best of seasons in terms of collective performance, there are still some players who have been impressive throughout this term.
One of these players is Ferran Torres, who has put in a fight to retain prominence this season, after having been demoted in the pecking order because of his below-expectations performances in the last season.
The arrival of Joao Felix and the rapid progress of Lamine Yamal further made things difficult for Torres. However, the Spaniard has not allowed adversity to get the better of him and has impressed with his performances up to now.
He was key for Xavi in the match against Unionistas, as he scored the tying goal in this match. Torres already has scored eight goals this season and will reach a century of games in Barcelona colors if he gets on the pitch against Real Betis.
With his performance, Torres has shown his mental toughness to everyone, and as SPORT has reported, even Xavi praised the winger for this aspect recently:
“He [Torres] embodies what it means to be mentally strong as a footballer. Here, in day-to-day life, you are made to feel that you are not worth it, whether you are a player, coach, or press official. This is Barça; it’s a shame, but that’s how it is.”
“Ferran embodies what it means to be strong; he sent me a message in the summer, and I knew he would manage to turn the situation around. He’s doing very well; I think he has scored eight goals. He’s positive.”
The former Manchester City forward has admitted publicly that he had to carry out some psychological work to be able to deal with the criticism and pressure of playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world. This work definitely seems to have paid off, as Torres has gained Xavi’s trust, and pushed Felix to get a spot in the starting eleven.
