Ansu Fati, from four operations on his return with goals so that Xavi is excited about his new Barza

Correction: This note was published on September 26, regarding the reappearance of Ansu Fati

The smile of football will always be that of Ronaldinho, but it seems to be inherited as Barcelona’s 10th changes owner. Lionel Messi replaced him in a big way in the great golden era of Barza and now it is the turn of Ansu Fati, the young attacker who reappeared at the Camp Nou on September 26 after an injury and did so with goal against Levante in 3-0 victory. Then he was also present in the victory over Valencia, gave him the three points against Dinamo Kiev and this Saturday he appeared again to open the scoring against Celta, with a great goal.

Eight games played (between the League and the Champions League), with four of them as a starter. In the previous seven, he finished off the opposite goal seven times and scored three goals. It is the 10 in which the culé fans are excited, but a new concern appeared. At the end of the first half, Ansu Fati was changed due to an injury. He came out almost crying, which is not a good sign for the Catalans.

THE STORY OF HIS REAPPEARANCE

Ansu Fati was left with the 10 shirt that Lionel Messi left in Barcelona and this Sunday he was only able to make his debut with his new number after being almost a year off the courts due to a serious injury to his left knee – an internal meniscus tear – that required up to four operations.

“When my father saw me jump, run and touch the ball on the first day of training, he cried. Me, too, “he said recently. And this weekend there are reasons for more tears. Ansu Fati entered in the 80th minute of the duel against Levante and at 91 he scored the third goal. The smile and celebration restore hope to the Blaugrana fans.

Ansu Fati debuted in first class in 2019 at only 16 years old, recalling what Lionel Messi experienced in his beginnings in Barcelona itself. His career took off quickly, so much so that he was cited by Luis Enrique for some games and scored against Ukraine in the Nations League.

Know how to get up

However, the meniscus tear stopped him suddenly on November 7, until today, when he returned to excite Barcelona and world football. He is the heir to Messi’s 10 and in the field he has shown that it does not weigh him down at all.

If the recovery process was long in itself, there was fear that things would get complicated. Last March, an inflammation of the knee warned that the treatment was not working after a first operation.

A second arthroscopy was performed by surgeon Ramón Cugat and did not improve. Concern was mounting in the Barza’s medical staff. The bottom line: let it go to the best doctors in Europe.

He was checked by a doctor specialized in knees in Lyon and also by the doctor from the Portuguese team. It was necessary to continue operating, this time in charge of Jose Carlos Noronha, doctor of the Portuguese team, this already in May.

When he was injured, in November 2020, it was thought in a period of four months. The time was doubled to avoid any risk and for the attacker to return without problems. It was only on August 24 that he was able to train with the entire squad again.

Young sensation

With just 19 years of age, and considering the 11 months that he has been away from the playing fields, Ansu Fati already has 51 games, 17 goals. In addition, he has a goal in four games with Spain. These are the players who are excited so that Barza can reverse their last bad seasons. Pedri (19), Ricky Puig (22), Gavi (17), Demir (18), among others, must join that party.

Philippe Coutinho and Frenkie de Jong were the candidates to obtain that number for the current season, but finally the glorious ten, which Ronaldinho, Riquelme and Rivaldo also used before, and long before Stoichkov, Michael Laudrup, Maradona and Kubala, fell into the hands of Ansu Fati. That was announced on September 1.

The total heir

“I really like him and I try to help and support him. He is a fantastic footballer and has what it takes to succeed. But if I look at it from my eyes … Carrying things well and easy. Little by little and without pressure ”, declared Messi himself when Ansu Fati appeared in football at the age of 16.

“All the boys who come to the Masia dream of being able to play with you, I feel fortunate to have fulfilled it. Leo my Family and I will always be eternally grateful, I wish you and your loved ones all the best, ”wrote Ansu Fati when Messi’s departure from Barcelona was confirmed.

The relationship between them went beyond the playing fields. Rodrigo Messi, the midfielder’s brother, was the one who encouraged Barza to sign Ansu Fati’s first contract. Rodrigo became a trusted man in the young player’s family and then became his representative for a year, before he went to the staff of Jorge Mendes, Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent.

In just ten minutes he showed what he can contribute to this down-and-out culé team and with a personal maneuver, he managed to score the third goal of the win. Smile and raised in style, that will be the new image that reigns throughout Barcelona.