After Real Madrid’s controversial and dramatic win earlier against Almeria, Barcelona knew they had to win against Real Betis and Ferran Torres, the former Manchester City winger, stepped up for the Catalan giants as he contributed two goals in injury time to ensure Barca stayed in the hunting for the title. Barca headed into this encounter on the backs of a thrashing by their bitter rivals Real Madrid in the Supercopa de España Final and struggling in a comeback win over third-division side Unionistas to advance to the Copa del Rey quarter-finals last week. However, Ferran Torres was the shining light in both fixtures and continued his form in this crucial 4-2 win.
Ferran Torres Celebrated His 100th Appearance for Barcelona in Tremendous Fashion
It was a memorable night for Ferran Torres as he made his 100th appearance for Barcelona after his sudden move from Manchester City during the 21/22 season. However, it has not been smooth sailing for Ferran Torres as he had not reached double figures for the club before this campaign, and he faced severe criticism for his lacklustre performances.
Today, he finally silenced his doubters by playing a part in all four goals Barca scored against Real Betis. In the first half, Barcelona fulfilled Xavi’s demands, as they played like a well-oiled attacking unit and got their breakthrough in the 21st minute when Ferran Torres tapped in after Pedri unselfishly squared the ball to his teammate. Ferran Torres then netted his second off the night after capitalising on a woodwork rebound from Lamine Yamal’s shot.
However, as we have seen from Barcelona numerous times this season, they switched off after scoring and allowed their opposition back into the game. Perhaps it was just not meant to be for Barcelona, as Isco, the former Real Madrid midfielder, scored twice in three minutes as the Catalan giants’ title aspirations dwindle as we near the closing minutes. Fortunately, Ferran Torres still has tricks up his sleeves as he set up João Félix for a delightful winner before ending the show with a superb chip to net his maiden hat trick for Barcelona.
Ferran Torres in his 100th game for Barcelona:
– 3 goals
– 1 assist pic.twitter.com/e2cVDwlyKC— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) January 21, 2024
Ferran Torres Lauded His Hard Work After Achieving Double Figures for Barca This Season
In the press conference after the game, Ferran Torres stated he finally felt the fruits of his labour. “It is the fruit of work, discipline, perseverance, believing in oneself and taking advantage of opportunities. It is clear as this is Barca, one of the biggest clubs in the world, the demands are maximum, and you have to be prepared. Not everything is pretty. There is a lot of criticism, as you are in the media spotlight a lot, and you must be prepared.”
As for the win and his feelings, Ferran Torres replied: “It’s Betis at the Benito Villamarín. We knew they were going to push and have their chances. They came back two goals from us, but we showed up to take the three points. I’m going to enjoy the hat trick, and today, I’m playing 100 games for Barca, so you can’t ask for anything more.
As for manager Xavi, he felt satisfied after overseeing his side hand Real Betis their first home loss of the season. “We were very good with a two-goal lead, but then it got complicated with a mistake by our defence, which made us a bit tense. We should have won the game earlier, but we managed to win in a stadium where nobody had won. We didn’t play a great game because of the two goals we conceded, but it was a great game. Let’s move forward.”
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🦈 Xavi: “Ferrán Torres has turned the tables by himself”.
“I spoke with him in the summer, he sent me a spectacular message as he was willing to succeed… that is what he is doing”.
“He is one of the footballers who has the most mental strength. I’m very happy”. pic.twitter.com/Kp8hIHdbsZ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 21, 2024
Is a Trophy Likely for Barcelona This Season?
With Atlético de Madrid knocking out Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey earlier, Barcelona fans may feel this is the best chance for silverware this season as they had already won against the three teams, Athletic Club, Atlético de Madrid and Sevilla, in their bracket this campaign and only a meeting with Girona in the final would lead to a nervy encounter.
Moreover, with them currently eight points behind Girona and seven points behind Real Madrid, with both teams having a game in hand, their hopes of retaining La Liga do not remain in their own hands. In addition, a trip to Napoli next month in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 is a tricky encounter for both, as each has shown inconsistencies and glimpses of brilliance.
Thus, the Copa del Rey remains Barcelona’s best chance for a trophy this season, and you can catch their journey on AsiaSport as the platform provides daily news coverage and high-definition highlights of your favourite teams, players and national squads.
