Laliga: Ferran Torres changes sides – Barcelona
He has one Cup: the one he won with Valencia in the final against Barcelona in 2019.
Barcelona are playing in another Copa del Rey final this Saturday. Their 46th, which they hope will become their 32nd knockout trophy. For many Barça players, it will be their first, but not Ferran Torres. The Valencian, who will be the Barça’s go-to center forward due to Robert Lewandowski‘s absence, already knows what it’s like to celebrate this title, and he did so after beating Barça in the Benito Villamarín match of the 2018-19 season.
Ferran Torres has a long list of achievements. His successes include two Premier League titles with City, a European Championship with Spain, La Liga with Barcelona, and the Copa del Rey with Valencia. The Foios -born striker was part of Marcelino‘s squad that won the final at the Benito Villamarín on May 25, 2019. The Valencia side beat the then- Ernesto Valverde -led side by two goals to one. The Spanish international was on the bench and did not play a single minute. However, he did appear in six previous matches: he started and completed the round of 32, round of 16, and quarter-finals. He scored one goal.
Successful in the Cup
In this edition, Ferran Torres, 25, is defending the Barça shirt and is an important player for Hansi Flick. He has not been an undisputed starter this season, the Catalan block’s offensive line has been formed in the vast majority of matches by Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, and Raphinha, but he has been and is a decisive player in the Barça system. The Valencian has participated in 41 matches across all tournaments and has scored 17 goals. In the Copa del Rey, he has scored five goals in the four matches in which he has appeared: he celebrated a hat-trick against Valencia and also scored against Betis and in the second leg of the semi-finals against Atlético de Madrid.
His great importance in the Barça lineup is not only due to his overwhelming ability to score, but also to his versatility on the pitch: he plays seamlessly in all attacking positions: up front and on both wings. “Lately, I’ve felt more comfortable as a ‘9’. I think it’s the position where I’m feeling most comfortable. But that doesn’t mean I can’t also play on the wing. I think that versatility is a very good thing,” Ferran commented a few weeks ago.
Center forward
Specifically, the absence of Robert Lewandowski, who suffered a tendon injury in his left leg against Celta in Matchday 32, means that Ferran Torres will be the starting center forward for the Catalan club. The Valencian, who is enjoying the best form of his career, isn’t burdened by the pressure; in fact, he’s embracing the title.