Ferran Torres taking men on like never before
Sergi Roberto and Robert Lewandowski may have scored the goals, but the man everyone was talking about after the 2-0 defeat of Cádiz was Ferran Torres. Especially in the first half, he was simply brilliant down the right, and played a role in almost every one of his team's big attacks.
Dribbling like never
Sergi Roberto's opener came off a galloping run by the Valencian. Ferran seemed more daring than ever, and this is reflected by the fact that he attempted more dribbles than ever before in a league fixture.
Five was his highest count in a game for Barça before now, and on Sunday night he doubled that. Previously at Valencia, he had only made more than five dribbles in three games, all in the 2019/20 season.
Down the wing
Those games were against Lille in the Champions League (5), against Villarreal (6) and his previous career high against Atlético Madrid (8).
That was his role in the old days. A pure winger whose job was to take men on. At Manchester City, he started playing more in the middle, or on the opposite wing, and then as a striker.
On the European podium
At Cádiz, he looked more like the kind of player he was at Valencia, and the role clearly suits him. No player in this Liga season can match his ten dribbles against Cádiz. And there are only two who have surpassed that figure in any of Europe's big five leagues.
Belgian Jérémy Doku of Rennes made 11 dribbles in a Ligue 1 fixture against Toulouse. And the other was none other than Leo Messi, who made ten for PSG against Nantes. Ferran's name is up in lights next to that of the Argentinian, and his performance last weekend has reminded Xavi Hernández that he has another weapon in his arsenal, and one we are sure to see him brandishing again. We can't wait!