Yahoo Sports Ansu Fati in line to play for Barcelona after a year – Where will he fit in?
Lamine Yamal is the player currently earning all the plaudits at Barcelona as the team’s latest academy sensation and the torchbearer of the new generation.
Not too long ago, however, that position was occupied by a certain Ansu Fati who started off his career with the first team amidst great hype.
Fati broke record after record for both club and country, but just when he was beginning to get settled as a regular, an unfortunate injury took away a lot of gifts he was endowed with.
The academy star is still just 21 and has struggled to find his footing in recent years. After a mixed season on loan at Brighton and Hove Albion last term, Fati is now back in Barcelona and set to play the new season under the new manager Hansi Flick.
Reports in pre-season provided exciting news on Fati’s form but a small fitness setback postponed his first appearance of the season.
The La Masia ace is now back training with the team and will likely be available for the upcoming clash against Girona later this week.
Where can Fati fit in?
Fati’s rise to fame at Barcelona was a left-winger who could decimate opposition defences with his pace, trickery and ability to change directions at the drop of a hat.
His injury, however, significantly reduced his top speed, acceleration, and agility, thus compromising his quality as a pacey winger.
Playing for Brighton last season, Fati thus primarily featured as an attacking midfielder just off a central striker. Lurking in the gaps behind the No. 9, he was tasked with creating imbalances and opening up gaps in defence.
The No. 10 role, thus, is one that Fati can continue to play at Barcelona this season. Dani Olmo is the favourite to start in the position but it will be interesting to see how the La Masia starlet adapts to a position behind the striker if given a chance.
Concurrently, the option of deploying Fati as a bonafide winger on the left is also alive especially considering that Raphinha is not a natural on that side.
The Brazilian has enjoyed a stunning start to the campaign and will be difficult to displace, but Fati’s unique profile on the wing can offer room for altered dynamics if he comes on for Raphinha at any point in the game.
Last, but not the least, Fati is capable of operating as a No. 9 in place of Robert Lewandowski. While it is a relatively unnatural position for the youngster, Flick was seen to specifically be nurturing Fati’s finishing in pre-season.
It is thus highly likely that the youngster will play the role of a goalscorer for the team this season, but the competition from Lewandowski and Pau Victor makes it complicated, although his finishing abilities make him a good candidate for the role.
It would thus appear that Flick has a serious dilemma to solve and a solution can only be found after one gets a first-hand view of what Fati can provide on the field.
