USA Tour Review: 3 Barcelona Players Who Exceeded Expectations

USA tour review: 3 Barcelona players who exceeded expectations

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - AUGUST 01: Oriol Romeu #18 of FC Barcelona gestures to a teammate in the first half of a preseason friendly match against AC Milan during the 2023 Soccer Champions Tour at Allegiant Stadium on August 01, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. FC Barcelona defeated AC Milan 1-0. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

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Ansu Fati – Forward

Even before his wonder strike that put Barcelona ahead of AC Milan in the final game, there were signs that the Ansu Fati of several years ago had returned.

He was decisive and confident on the ball, his link-up play with Balde down the left was intricate and fast, and defenders looked scared as soon as he picked up the ball.

It’s been a strange career trajectory for Fati, heralded so young, injuries derailed his momentum. Although he returned last year, he never looked overly comfortable and there were signs he was still working his way back to full fitness.

Watching him in the pre-season, that fitness seems to have returned and with it a whole lot of confidence. With Dembele leaving, it should open up more opportunities for Fati to play and if he performs like we know he can, nobody will miss Dembele in a couple of months.

24 of his 36 appearances in La Liga came off the bench last year and when you’re getting 10 minutes here and 20 minutes there, it’s hard to build and maintain any form. If he can earn the trust of Xavi and build up some consecutive starts, I think we’ll get the best out of Fati.