It has been exactly 5 hours and 34 minutes of FC Barcelona football without scoring in all competitions. It was against Atlético de Madrid with the Camp Nou half bathed in the sun and with Xavi under the shade of the stands when Ferran Torres broke Barcelona's scoring drought scoring his fourth goal in the League, second in the last four games. Before facing Atlético de Madrid, the last goal that appeared in the Barça account was also from the Valencian striker, author of the 0-4 win in Elche. That day Ferran Torres pointed to one ear. A gesture with which he sought to vindicate himself before those who have hung the transferable sign on him.
His celebration at the Camp Nou was very different. Torres exploded with happiness and thanked Raphinha for assisting. "This goal is yours," he told her. Gone is the slighted gesture of the Brazilian when Xavi replaced him with Torres in the first leg of the Europa League against Manchester United. "Ferran is one of those who takes care of the dressing room," they point out from the sports city. "Today Ferran is the happiest uncle in the world," Xavi said yesterday. "And I am a great coach because I was right putting him in the eleven", he added later with some irony.
The Camp Nou also recognized the goal. And although no ovation was as loud as the one he dedicated to Pedri on his return, for the Blaugrana dressing room and also for Xavi the applause from the Barcelona fans for Ferran Torres was equally or more important. "I was not having a good time," says his environment. “Ferran is a player who works a lot and you don't see that. He deserves all the best because he is also a very good person ”, added his great friend Pedri. “I decide the eleven based on what I see during the week. I move by sensations, I have always done it that way. We trained on Wednesday and did a training game on Thursday. The coach must see the level of each player and I have opted for Ferran", said Xavi, who left Ansu Fati training on the band and who gave him a start four minutes after Sánchez Martínez whistled the end of the match.
True to his impulses, the Barcelona coach did not stop discussing the referee's decisions with the fourth official. He was especially critical when the latter did not point out a free kick on Gavi but he did point out an equal one against. He then went to Sánchez Martínez to ask the coach to calm down.
Xavi was impatient with his team's lack of effectiveness. “In the second half we had very clear chances to make it 2-0 and 3-0. It is a tonic that is happening to us this season. In the end you end up suffering. Lewandowski will be a bit sad not to score", said the Barcelona coach. It didn't take him long, however, to remember the season of 9. "Lewandowski is the Pichichi of the League with 17 goals," Xavi insisted that, beyond Ferran Torres, he ended up satisfied to be able to count on Pedri and De Jong again. "Without detracting from the others, Pedri and De Jong are different," he declared. And the League? "We have eight finals left," he stressed. Xavi still does not take it for granted.
