FC Barcelona recently unveiled teenage sensation Lamine Yamal as the club’s new number 10. The Spanish attacker took over the iconic jersey number from La Masia graduate Ansu Fati, who left on loan to join AS Monaco in Ligue 1.
Long before Lamine Yamal burst onto the scene, Barcelona fans saw in Ansu Fati the same spark of brilliance and promise that Yamal now embodies. However, the 22-year-old’s development and career has hit a roadblock.
Now, Fati has embarked on his next journey in an attempt to resurrect his career. The Spanish international is currently at the French club AS Monaco as he continues to train and build his way back to match fitness.
Ansu Fati is working his way back to match fitness
Monaco manager Adi Hutter was asked about Fati’s level currently, and as quoted by Mundo Deportivo, here is what the manager had to say:
“I believe Ansu is a bit closer to rejoining the team, but we need to increase his workload. In the past few weeks in Barcelona, he hasn’t played much. He hasn’t been able to train as he should, so we’re trying to get him back in shape so he can be competitive. There’s no point in bringing him back yet, as he risks injury due to the fatigue he’s already experiencing. We’re being cautious with both players.”
Considering Fati’s injury history through the course of his senior career, the worst thing that could happen to him is to pick up yet another setback even before he plays his first game in an AS Monaco jersey.
Can Fati resurrect his career?
As Hutter rightly puts it, the Spaniard hardly played for Barcelona under Hansi Flick last season. Even on the odd occasion where he was given a chance, Fati didn’t show enough to convince the German coach, and there was a general sense that he wasn’t at the same physical level as some of his teammates.
The silver lining is that at 22 years of age, it isn’t too late for Fati to resurrect his faltering career. What he needs right now is a season without any injury issues and regular game time where he manages to play week in and week out for Monaco.
One good thing about Fati is that he is a very intelligent footballer, and that is something that no one can take away from him. His body might have been giving up on him in recent times, but Barcelona fans would love nothing more than to see one of their very own shining and playing the game with a smile again. Let’s wait and see how it plays out.
