He gave Spain a good boost in the Nations League final and created a spark
At the end of the game he insisted that he wanted to stay at FC Barcelona next season
Ansu Fati was one of the happiest players yesterday in Rotterdam. That became very clear at the celebrations. He didn’t stop hugging his relatives as they exited the corner where they were set to join the Nations League winners in an agonizing final against Croatia that was decided on penalties.
The Barça striker wasn’t among those to take one of the highest penalties in a shoot-out, but if he had, there was little doubt it would have been a goal. Because in this season finale, Ansu Fati regains the confidence he lost in what was not an easy exercise for himin which he needed time to regain the much-needed explosiveness in his game and the high morale to see the big goals again.
De la Fuente didn’t hesitate to put his trust in him as the game against the Crotas got tougher. He brought him on for Yeremi in the 66th minute so he could act as a backup and score a goal that avoided extra time. And he had it at his feet. His shot from close range was blocked by Perisic on the goal line.
It would have been a shot of self-esteem for the Barca player who finally got to show himself with sparks, unbalanced one-on-one and very active on the pitch. I don’t need much time to assert myself as the reference striker of the selection in the last few minutes.
Ansu Fati had already shown the first signs of his rebirth in the last two days at Barça. Against Mallorca at the Spotify Camp Nou, he scored a brace in just 24 minutes. He scored a goal in the first minute against the Vermilion after completing a magnificent joint game between Busquets, Lewandowski and Gavi.
He also scored the second goal of the game after assisting the Polish striker. He could have scored a hat-trick that day but the Mallorca goalkeeper stopped him. He had six shots on goal. On the last matchday against Celta, Ansu also scored a goal, bringing his total tally in the league to seven goals and four assists. He has scored 10 goals in all competitions.
Talk about his future
At the end of the final against Croatia, the striker spoke to the media and made it clear that he wants to continue next season at FC Barcelona, the club where he hopes to continue to be successful. “I have a contract with Barça and my intention is to keep improving and growing there. That is my intention. I have a contract and I am happy. Both in my club and in the national team,” he said.
It is precisely his staunch refusal to change scene that has led Rubén Neves to reject his move from Saudi Arabia to Al-Hilal. The Portuguese midfielder had to join FC Barcelona as part of an operation, which meant Ansu moved to Wolverhampton. But Barça’s 10 flatly refused, making it clear to his agent Jorge Mendes that he would not leave Can Barça.
The club are keeping him on the market as his sale would mean a large capital gain for Barça accounts as he is a homegrown player but continues to become a benchmark for the club’s future even at thirteen.
Should Ansu Fati’s revival be confirmed, perhaps Barca should reconsider his future.
