April 29, (THEWILL) – Barcelona manager, Xavi Hernandez, has spoken out about Ansu Fati’s lack of game time, admitting that the 20-year-old has been impacted by the high level of competition for places at Camp Nou.
While Fati has made 44 appearances in all competitions this season, he has only started in 13 of those matches, leading to frustration from fans and even a public statement from his father questioning his lack of minutes. Xavi has defended his decision, however, stating that the competition for places is what makes playing for Barça so tough.
According to Xavi, Ferran Torres and Raphinha have been outperforming Fati recently, while Robert Lewandowski is a guaranteed starter. The coach must therefore make a decision on who to play. “Ansu has played, he has participated. He has scored decisive goals, but there is fierce competition, and it must be fierce to play for Barça,” Xavi said.
Despite the current situation, Fati is still expected to play a role in the team’s future. Competition for Fati’s position on the team is only going to get tougher in the coming weeks, as Ousmane Dembele returns from a three-month injury layoff. Xavi has acknowledged the team’s need for Dembele’s skills, particularly his one-on-one abilities.
“We have missed Ousmane because he is the player with the best one-on-one on this team,” Xavi said. With Dembele’s return, the pressure on Fati to perform will only increase.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
