Difficult times continue for Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati at Barcelona

These are not good times for Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati, players who were supposed to make a difference. The former, because of the expectations that were caused by the high cost of his signing (€55 million fixed plus €10m in variables) and the youth graudate because his breakthrough in the elite was stratospheric, although after the injuries he has had he has not been the same.

The origins

There can be a before and after Getafe. Ousmane Dembélé's injury at the end of January forced Xavi Hernández to rethink the 4-3-3 with wingers that he had always used until then. Gavi began to play wide, splitting between attacking from the left and playing as a fourth midfielder, while Raphinha began to gain the upper hand as the only partner up front for the untouchable Robert Lewandowski.

Ferran, in particular, was becoming less and less important, as Ansu had been playing very few minutes since the beginning of the season. He played in every game, but hardly ever as a starter. 

Elche oasis

Raphinha, with good numbers adding goals and assists, hardly left them any space, but then came the league visit to bottom club Elche and the Brazilian was unable to participate due to suspension. And Xavi opted for both, Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati, in a return to the origins.

Both responded to the opportunity. Without perhaps playing a match of note, but both found the back of the net. For Ferran, the goal was the fruit of his insistence in attack; for Ansu, to recover his smile days after the explosive declarations made by his father.

Since then, Barça, who have failed to score a goal, have faced Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey and Girona and Getafe in La Liga. Ansu was only a starter in the Catalan derby, while Ferran started none of them.

Dembele's return and uncertain futures

The worst for the morale of both came against Getafe. Xavi again opted for open flanks, but neither Ferran nor Ansu had a place in the starting XI. Xavi placed Alejandro Balde as a winger ahead of Jordi Alba at left-back in a dull game for the whole team in general.

Although Xavi's 'experiment' did not work out well, the mere fact of his proposal was symptomatic. Ferran and Ansu had minutes coming off the bench without being able to change the course of the game or their personal situations. In fact, Ferran did not even play in one of the three attacking positions, but further back.

If in the absence of Dembélé, neither one nor the other has been able to take advantage of it, now that the Frenchman is close to returning, it seems even more complicated for them to turn the situation around.