At just 21 years old, Ansu Fati was supposed to represent the future of FC Barcelona. Launched into the professional deep end in 2019, at the age of 17, the young striker had everything going for him. Unfortunately, a nasty meniscus injury in November 2020 changed everything. Since then, the Iberian international (10 caps, 2 goals) has had a series of major physical problems. Absent from the field for more than 300 days, Ansu Fati returned to competition on September 26, 2021 against Levante.
A match during which he also scored. A very notable return, especially since Fati had made a strong choice by recovering number 10 from a Lionel Messi pushed towards the exit. A number that has become a burden for a player whose career is stalling. Injured in the hamstrings barely two months after his comeback, the Blaugrana experienced a new ordeal. Returning at the beginning of January 2022, he relapsed a few days later only to return in April of the same year. The native of Bissau nevertheless managed to come back last season, but with a replacement status which hardly suited him.
Another long stint in the infirmary
Faced with the pressure linked to high expectations, Ansu Fati chose exile last summer to try to bounce back. Loaned to Brighton, the Spaniard gave the impression of having taken an attractive bet since he joined the team coached by one of the most fashionable coaches, Roberto De Zerbi. But in England, bad luck caught up with him. In addition to a fairly light record (14 appearances, all competitions, 4 goals, 1 assist), Ansu Fati collapsed after only twenty minutes of play on November 25 against Nottingham Forest.
At a press conference, De Zerbi was pessimistic. “We lost (to injury, editor’s note) Ansu for a good while…” And once again, it was the hamstrings that gave way. The English press claims that the Seagulls fear no less than three months of downtime for their number 31. A new blow for a player announced as one of Barça’s greatest hopes, but who is currently closer to the youngsters Blaugrana nuggets having never managed to confirm.
