Ansu 'not far off 100 per cent'

These have been tough times for Ansu Fati, but his injuries woes have finally been put in the past. We got to see some of him in the final games of last season, and he is now enjoying the preseason and looking forward to being able to properly help the team in the 2022/23 season after only playing a bit last time round.

Speaking in an interview on the local TV3 channel, and doing so entirely in Catalan, Ansu said "I know I haven’t had the continuity I would have liked in recent years, but this time I am with the team from the start and I have all the confidence in the world … I know that with hard work and sacrifice I can get back to my best level. I’m not 100 per cent yet, but I’m not far off."

"After being out for so long, you feel a bit cautious when you go back out on the pitch. That’s normal, but it disappears after the first few minutes … All this time I’ve been out, the fans have been like another family for me. The idea of giving back some of that warmth was an added motivation to get fit again.”

He insists it was that, plus his family’s support, which drove him forward and he never once considered the option of retiring from football.

The season ahead

Looking ahead to the season to come, he says “we want to win trophies. We know that we haven’t lifted too many cups in recent years, and so we need to work hard to compete for everything. The new signings are helping to build a very competitive team … That’s very positive for the team and the players. Footballers can only get better when they know that if they don’t work hard enough, then they won’t be getting picked to play."

On Xavi, the Guinea-Bissau born striker says “it is an honour to have a club legend like him as coach. He is introducing new concepts every day.”

As for Robert Lewandowski, "he has been one of the best strikers in the world in recent years. Having him playing for us gives us something extra for La Liga and the Champions League.”

Message for Alexia

Ansu ended with words of encouragement for Alexia Putellas, who is going to be side-lined for a long period herself. "I know how tough it is when this happens” he says. “But I want to wish her all the best. Everything happens for a reason, and this makes you stronger and you learn to appreciate certain things. You get to see another side of football, and one that nobody likes, but when you finally return you enjoy football more than you ever did, just like me now."