Barcelona was one of the busiest teams in the footballing world in the winter transfer window. Not only did they totally revamp the forward lineup but they also did some amazing business by bringing in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for free and Adama Traore on a loan. The addition of Ferran Torres to the team also helped significantly and although it took the Spaniard a few games to really adjust to his new surroundings, he managed to make a real difference in the recent games. One player who took no time to adjust was Aubameyang and the manager cannot be more grateful for his arrival.
In a recent news conference, Xavi Hernandez was talking about his new players and he said that the Gabonese striker is like a gift from the sky. The striker has already scored six goals in nine appearances and five of them has been in the league. They needed a consistent goal-scoring figure and it seems as if they have gotten that with Aubameyang. He said,
"“Aubameyang is a present that has fallen out of the sky, It’s not just [the goals], it’s how he trains and his professionalism. He’s an example, [all the players] are.”_Source ESPN"
He then went on to talk about Torres and he praised the player by saying that he managed to prove the critics wrong. The player’s finishing brought in a lot of criticism however, now that he has begun to score, the manager made sure to remind the critics. He said,
"“I said that the goals would come for Ferran,”“He’s scored goals wherever he’s been: Valencia, City and with the national team. It was just a matter of time. I’m delighted with how he’s doing.”_Source ESPN"
The winter transfer window has really changed the team for the better but things will not stop there. The plan is to bring in even more players in the summer and really go for the title next year. Xavi has already said that he still hopes for the title this season but that is a bit unrealistic. However, next season would be a different story and Barca can definitely compete for the title then.
Aubameyang must keep up these performances in the upcoming match against Galatasaray. The Turkish side will defend valiantly again and Barca will have to find a way through their defensive set up.